The Pharaoh's Hikari
by harry horror
Summary: After moving to a new city, Yami and Yugi continue to further the magical bond that ties them together as they fight the darkness that threatens to break them apart and immerse themselves in the life that Yami had left behind.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This story will be written to be able to stand alone but, there is a completed prequel (_Light in the Dark) _available in my profile which expands on many of the topics that are only summarized here.

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

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><p>Yami's father hated Yugi on sight.<p>

Yugi had only been in the Atemu household for fifteen minutes but, from the moment he'd laid eyes on him, Yami's father's glaring disapproval of his son's choice of dinner guest had been apparent.

The three were seated at Yami's parents' table, Yami's father, Kenta, at the head and the boys sitting across from one another. The dining room was a skinny room with worn wooden floors and a matching mahogany dining set. The smell of coriander and cumin floated from the connecting kitchen where Yami's mother had disappeared a few minutes earlier to put the finishing touches on dinner.

"How old are you, Yugi-san?" Kenta said, breaking the silence that had stretched for several minutes. He was a broad shouldered man, with a strong jaw and a full salt and pepper beard that accented the frown that had been plastered on his face since their arrival.

"19," Yugi said. He forced himself to sit straight as the older man's stare centered on him.

Yami's parents lived in the suburbs of Kyoto, the city where Yami had been born and lived in up until five months ago when he'd met Yugi. The older boy had moved to Domino City after he'd discovered Yugi, his hikari, in a local cafe, and over the past few months, they had both come to discover the magic of the bond that bound them together.

However, the pair had recently moved to Kyoto after Yugi had been accepted to a prestigious archeology program in the city. The move had prompted an invitation to the Atemu household for dinner, and being the hikari of their only son, Yami's mother considered it long past time for Yugi to get to know her and her husband.

"You look much younger than 19," Kenta said. He sat back in his chair, folding his hands in front of him. "What year are you in your education?"

"This will be my last year before I graduate," Yugi said.

Yami watched Yugi from across the table, his posture mirroring his father's. Yugi's 23-year-old yami was intense and often hard to read, and his celebrity status as the reigning King of Games meant little privacy in their relationship, but over the past few months, he'd become one of the most important people in Yugi's life.

In the early weeks of their courtship, Yami had revealed the truth of his past as an ancient pharaoh and, Yugi's role as his hikari. Together, they shared a connection that linked both their minds. They were two halves of one soul, and without each other, they would be forever incomplete.

Yami's aura brushed against Yugi's, calm and relaxed, as the younger boy shifted in his chair. The intensity of Kenta's look was making his stomach turn. It seemed that Yami had inherited his trademark, no-nonsense stare from his father.

"And you have come to Kyoto to study under Isis Ishtar?" Kenta said.

"Yes, me and one of my closest friends have been accepted to complete our final year under Ishtar-sama," Yugi said.

Yugi and Ryou had applied for the archaeology program being led by esteemed archaeologist, Isis Ishtar last year, and had received their acceptance letters to the program a month ago. Yami had been the one to recommend the course, and though the older boy knew Isis personally, Yugi had made him promise not to put in a good word for him. He'd wanted to earn his spot on his own, and when he'd been accepted, he'd known that he'd earned it on his own merit.

Kenta nodded, his frown easing. "Isis is a friend of the family. Her work in Egypt has shed much needed light on Yami's lineage," he said.

According to Yami, Isis had been the one to find Yami's parents and tell them that their future son would be the pharaoh of legend. As the owner of the Millennium Necklace, Isis was granted visions of the past and future of the millennium items, but while the necklace protected her from shadow magic, she could not command the shadows as Yami could.

"Yami told me that she discovered and restored several of the scrolls about the millennium items that had been lost over time," Yugi said. He skimmed his fingers over the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck, the metal cool under his fingers.

The Millennium Puzzle had been a gift from his grandfather over three years ago, and when Yugi had finished it three months ago, he hadn't realized the implications of the artifact's completion. The puzzle was Yami's source to channeling the shadow magic that burned in his veins, and when the last piece was in place, the shadows had been unleashed in the older boy.

Their bond had been the only thing that had kept Yami from being overtaken by the darkness, and as one of the core links between them, Yugi had taken to wearing the puzzle around his neck ever since.

"It is Yugi's desire to one day work to uncover more of Egypt's lost history," Yami said. He was wearing a black button down shirt, contrasting with the light tan of his skin and the gold, black, and crimson spikes of his hair.

Kenta's frown returned and, Yugi almost sighed in relief when Yami's mother returned with dinner.

"I hope you've brought your appetite, Yugi, dear!" Yami's mother said as she bumped open the swinging door to the kitchen. She set down two dishes, one full of strips of meat and another with some sort of stuffed squash. "Yami told me that you had interests in Egypt, so I thought I would cook up some of his favorites for you to try."

Both of Yami's parents had been born and raised in Egypt, having moved to Japan just before Yami's birth. Unlike his father, Yami's mother, Akemi, openly carried the genes of her home country, with long black hair and the same dark rimmed, round eyes as her son.

Akemi returned to the kitchen for the rest of the meal, and when it was all laid out, a total of five platters sat in front of them.

"You didn't have to go to so much trouble, Akemi-san!" Yugi said. He had met Yami's mother once before at a Tokyo hospital when he and Yami had both been hospitalized after they'd been trapped in the then newly completed Millennium Puzzle. Yugi, who had lost his parents as a child, had taken a quick liking to the woman as she had fussed over the two of them in their hospital beds, insisting they eat something and tucking the blankets around them.

"Just Akemi is fine, Yugi," Akemi said as she filled her husband's glass with wine. "And, it was no trouble at all. I love to cook and, I don't often get a chance to prepare a meal for such an important guest." She beamed at Yugi, her hand rubbing small circles on Kenta's shoulder. She was a short, slender woman and, she looked even tinier next her broad shouldered husband.

Yami gave Yugi a small smile, his foot brushing Yugi's shin under the table. Yugi's skin tingled from the contact with the older boy. It had been several months now, but Yugi still found himself losing focus every time Yami brushed against him.

"Wine, Yugi?" Akemi said. She had finished pouring Yami's glass, and held up the bottle in question.

"No, thank you," Yugi said. He was feeling more relaxed with Akemi back in the room. Yami's mother had been nothing but kind to him since their first meeting, and she seemed genuinely excited to have him in her home.

"It is a dishonor to refuse wine at a host's table in Egypt," Kenta said. He was frowning at Yugi again, and the younger boy felt what little calm he had recovered slip through his fingers.

"It's a good thing that we are in Japan then, father," Yami said. He picked up his glass, tipping to his mother in a toast, and took a sip of his wine, meeting Yugi's eyes over the rim.

_/Ignore him/ _Yami said through their link.

The longer that he and Yami had been together, the easier it had become to communicate through their bond via thoughts. Single words and basic fragments were still the easiest to share, but they were working up to full sentences.

"I apologize, Akemi-san," Yugi said, stomach churning at the unintended slight. "I didn't mean any disrespect – I just don't drink very much."

Yami's mother was glaring at her husband across the table. She picked up one of the dishes, offering it to Yugi.

"It is no problem whatsoever. I completely understand," Akemi said, smiling at him as he accepted the plate. "And, please, there is no need for honorifics here – just Akemi is fine."

"Thank you," Yugi said. He spooned some of the meat, strips of grilled steak seared with herbs, onto his plate, and offered the dish to Yami's father.

"How are you liking Kyoto so far, Yugi?" Akemi said. She circulated another dish, a rice medley spiced with a Middle Eastern blend.

"It's great – a lot bigger than Domino but, I really like how many places there are to explore," Yugi said. "I've almost gotten lost just wondering around a couple of times already."

The platters were placed back in the center of the table as everyone started to eat. The meal was different than anything Yugi had tried before but, the blend of spices and preparation made it obvious that Akemi was a skilled chef. Yugi almost forgot his nerves as he sampled the dishes, each bite melting in his mouth.

"Where will you be living in Kyoto, Yugi-san?" Kenta said, sawing at his steak.

"Yami has offered his apartment for me to stay with him," Yugi said. He took a sip of water as Kenta watched him.

"I thought you only had a one bedroom apartment?" Kenta asked Yami, spearing a piece of meat, watching Yugi has he chewed. Yami's parents knew about their bond as hikari and yami, but Kenta didn't seem to believe that their link required the level of intimacy, both mental and physical, that the pair shared.

"Yugi and I will share the room," Yami said. "We have done so for several months already."

Yugi could feel his face heating as he looked down at his plate.

Due to the nature of their bond, it was difficult for the pair to be separated for extended periods of time. It had gotten to the point that it was impossible to get a decent night's rest without one another, and Yugi had spent every night for the past three months with Yami curled around him.

Yugi had initially tried to keep their sleeping arrangement and their relationship a secret from his grandfather but, after a week of sneaking to the older boy's apartment every night, Yami had insisted they tell the older man the truth. It had taken Sugoroku a few weeks to adjust to the idea of his grandson being in a relationship with the older boy, or any boy for that matter, but, by the time the pair had left for Kyoto two days ago, he had been teary eyed as he saw them off.

"I think that's wonderful," Akemi said. The gold bangles on her wrist clinked together as she took a sip of wine. "Don't you, Kenta, dear?" She gave her husband a pointed look and, he grunted as he took another bite. "How are you liking the food, Yugi – not too spicy, I hope?"

"It's delicious," Yugi said. There was a definite kick to the spices but, it was so unlike the traditional Japanese fare that he'd been raised on, Yugi was eager to taste everything.

"I'm glad," Akemi said. She turned to Yami. "How are things going with Seto?"

Yami worked with his cousin, Seto Kaiba, at the Kaiba Corporation, the gaming company that had invented the technology associated with the most recent gaming obsession in Japan, Duel Monsters. As the international Duel Monsters champion, Yami traveled throughout the year to different dueling competitions in the country and the world. However, for the majority of the year, the older boy worked as one of the key partners in Seto's business.

"Everything is going well. We are in the middle of testing a new portable dueling disk that Seto hopes to debut in a dueling tournament in the next year," Yami said. He took another bite, and Yugi was surprised that he had almost cleared his plate. The older boy usually ate like a bird, and Yugi had learned that if he didn't force Yami down to the table most nights, he would end up skipping meals in favor of work or strategizing for his next duel.

"Seto's still living with Jounouchi?" Akemi said.

Yami nodded. "He, Seto, and Mokuba are living in an apartment in the Kadono district now."

Yugi set down his fork. As a child, he'd been close friends with a boy named Katsuya Jounouchi, however, Jou and his sister had been moved to a foster home in Kyoto when Yugi was fourteen.

"Katsuya Jounouchi?" Yugi said, meeting Yami's eyes.

Yami nodded. "He is Seto's partner. Do you know him?" he said. His eyes narrowed the way that they always did when he was trying to figure something out, mind churning to connect the dots.

"We were friends when we were growing up, but he moved away when I was a kid," Yugi said. "It would be nice to see him again though – it's been a long time."

"I can arrange something with Seto," Yami said. "Their building is only a ten minute walk from ours."

Yugi nodded. He had lost track of Jou when he'd moved but, he'd always been curious to see where his friend had ended up. Jou had been outspoken and impulsive as a child, but he had always had a good heart, and though he'd been born into difficult circumstances, he'd never let it deter him from helping others. However, Yugi would have never guessed that Jou was gay, let alone a match for Yami's icy, high-mannered, poker-faced cousin.

The rest of dinner passed with more questions from Akemi and silence from Kenta. Akemi had insisted that Yugi find room for dessert, emerging from the kitchen with pastries stuffed with custard and dates, drizzled with syrup. By the time they were finished, Yugi thought he'd have to be rolled out the door.

Yami ignored his mother's protests when it came to the dishes, toting Yugi into the kitchen and leaving his parents lingering over tea in the living room.

"I apologize for my father," Yami said as the kitchen door swung closed behind them.

The Atemu kitchen was a large room with low ceilings and a tiled floor that gleamed with a recent waxing. It was the sort of space that spoke of many years of use, the sponged golden paint and low hanging lamps illuminating the room in a warm glow.

"It's okay," Yugi said. "I'm sure it's just weird for him. He probably expected your hikari to be, well, taller, older, maybe a bit tougher looking," he teased. He joined Yami at the sink as the older boy started the tap and poured in some detergent.

Yami frowned as the sink filled. "My father is a good man, but he had different plans for my path in life. After meeting you tonight, I believe he began to realize that his plan would never come to reality," he said.

"What do you mean?" Yugi said, finding a towel to do the drying.

Yami turned off the tap, taking a plate from the top of the stack and washing it before handing it to Yugi.

"He once believed that I would return to Egypt and take my 'rightful seat' as ruler," Yami said. "It is his understanding that my lineage as pharaoh entitles me to such a right."

"Why _did_ your parents decide to move from Egypt?" Yugi said, drying another plate.

"Isis told them that she had a vision of my hikari being in Japan," Yami said. He glanced over at Yugi, his fingers brushing his as he handed him a bowl to dry.

Water dribbled down Yugi's fingers as took the dish. "Are you telling me they moved from Egypt because of me?" he said.

Yami put one of his soapy hands on the edge of the sink, the other dripping suds on the floor as he turned to face the younger boy. "They moved to Japan because they knew that I would never be complete without my hikari," Yami said. "Isis told him that my only chance of finding happiness was in Japan."

"Well, no wonder your father hates me!" Yugi said. "I'm the reason he had to leave his entire life behind." Yugi set the dried bowl on the counter, wiping his fingers on the towel. His head was starting to throb.

Yami's energy curled down their bond. The older boy's power always came to him in a dark, heavy smoke and when Yugi allowed it, every trouble in his mind floated away the minute the energy overtook him.

Yugi leaned against the counter, letting the smoke fill him, weighing down his limbs in the same delicious heat that he'd come to associate with his yami.

"I hate when you do that," Yugi said, mumbling. The beginnings of his headache had faded away the minute that the older boy's aura brushed against his, the tense muscles of his shoulders loosening as he relaxed into their bond.

The older boy smiled, returning to the sink and lathering up another dish as he worked through the stack. By the time Yugi had emerged from the smoke, he was already several dishes behind.

The pair worked in silence as they finished the dishes, and when everything was dried and stacked back in the cabinets, weariness weighed down on Yugi. He'd been nervous about meeting Yami's parents ever since Akemi had invited them over a week ago, and while the night hadn't been perfect, it hadn't been the disaster he'd been anticipating.

Yugi closed the last cabinet, turning as he felt Yami's heat settle behind him. The older boy had his hands on either side of him, caging him against the counter.

Yami stepped closer, forcing Yugi back. His eyes were dark as he leaned down, lips brushing Yugi's in a kiss that seemed to sear its way down Yugi's spine. The older boy's touch was gentle as his fingers settled on Yugi's hips, tasting him with a softness that left Yugi boneless under his hands.

As Yami pulled away, Yugi could feel a familiar ache spark low in his gut. The feeling had been cropping up the past couple of weeks and more and more, Yugi felt a hunger building inside of him each time they pulled apart.

Though Yami had admitted that he loved Yugi almost three months ago, the younger boy had yet to repeat the words to his partner. Lately, however, Yugi was beginning to untangle the knot of feelings he had for older boy, and each time the hunger sparked inside of him so did the realization that he might be in love with the King of Games.

The pair hadn't progressed further than the heated touches that often accompanied their kisses but, the longer they were together, the more Yugi found himself craving more.

"What was that for?" Yugi said. He ignored the way his slacks seemed to tighten when Yami's eyes met his, the older boy's own desire stroking its way down their bond.

"For coming tonight," Yami said. He gave Yugi as a small smile, his fingers brushing the outside of the younger boy's thighs as he released him.

"It was actually kind of nice," Yugi said. "But, I'm so stuffed right now that I think I might sleep for an entire week."

"You have your first class with Isis tomorrow?" Yami said. He took Yugi's hand as they walked to the kitchen door.

Yugi nodded and, Yami pushed into the dining room.

"I think you will find her teachings enlightening. Her story as a tomb keeper is a unique one," Yami said. "Her brother, Malik, in particular, I think will be of interest to you."

"Why do you say that?" Yugi said, as Yami led them back into the living room.

"He is the hikari of the Millennium Rod," Yami said.

The words had just clicked in Yugi's mind when the older boy pulled him into the living room, his mind stuttering to digest the possibility of meeting another hikari.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

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><p>Isis Ishtar was a beanstalk of a woman.<p>

Yugi watched as she skipped to the next slide in her presentation, flipping her long black hair over her shoulder as she spoke. She was easily six foot tall, towering in front of the class in flats and a crisp pantsuit that clung to her hourglass frame. Yugi struggled to keep up with his notes as she moved on to course deadlines.

The class of fifteen was seated in a seminar hall in Kyoto University, lights dimmed and blinds drawn, the harsh white glow of the projector reflecting just enough light to take notes by. Yugi was freezing as he moved his pen across the page, the heating broken and the chill of late winter seeping through the walls, numbing his fingers.

Beside him, Ryou was scribbling down his own notes, his free hand tucked under his arm, white hair falling in his eyes.

Isis was discussing her expectations for each of them as she ended her slideshow, flipping on the lights. As her second language, her Japanese was flawless, with only a slight accent around her vowels to hint to her Egyptian lineage.

Each of the fifteen students selected for the course had been hand selected by her. It would be a rigorous program, including a full course load in addition to assisting Isis prepare her next Egyptian museum exhibit

As the class concluded, Yugi gathered his papers waiting as Ryou organized his notes, tucking them into his backpack.

"That wasn't so bad, huh?" Ryou said. He shrugged on his bag, shoving his hands into the pockets of his coat. His friend was all clean lines as he faced him, his tall, willowy frame showcasing his clothes with the grace of a male geisha.

Yugi and Ryou had been friends for more than five years ever since they'd banded together in secondary school as the two top targets for the school bullies. Their friendship had grown as they entered university together, each long used to having each other's back as they left the bullies behind and took on the challenges of university life.

"It'll be a lot of work, but I think we got it," Yugi said. He smiled at his friend, a familiar twinge of guilt twisting in his gut.

Three months ago, when Yami had told him the truth of their bond, he had also revealed that Ryou's possession of the Millennium Ring signified his status as a hikari. Yugi had been ecstatic at first. Finally, he had thought, he could talk to someone about how _crazy _all of this magic stuff was. However, Yami had warned him against it – telling him that Ryou had his own destiny to follow and fate would decide his path to his yami

At Yami's insistence, Yugi had agreed to keep the secret from his friend. And as far as Ryou knew, Yugi and the King of Games were just a normal couple, and the millennium items were just a subject of legends, not reality. Still, the secret had been eating up at him for the past three months, and every time Yugi was with him, he hoped that Ryou would still want to speak to him when he discovered the truth.

"Mutou-san," Isis said. She was sitting at the desk in the front of the class, hands folded in her lap. "May I discuss something with you before you go?"

The classroom cleared, and Ryou went to wait in the hallway, casting a wary glance at his friend before stepping outside. Yugi stopped in front of Isis' desk as the door closed, silencing the noise from the hall.

"It is an honor," Isis said, unfolding from her chair, "to meet the pharaoh's hikari." She bowed deep, strands of her hair skimming the desk's surface.

"How did you - ?" Yugi said. He stopped, resisting the urge smack himself as he realized the answer to his own question. The Millennium Puzzle hanging from his neck had revealed his identity to the former tomb keeper the moment that he'd walked into the room.

"The pleasure is mine, Ishtar-sama," Yugi said. "Your work in the Middle East has inspired me since my first history course at university."

"I see that you are acquainted with the hikari of the Millennium Ring," Isis said. She touched the Millennium Necklace strung around her neck, and the hairs on Yugi's arms raised as he glanced at the eye emblazoned there.

"You know about Ryou?" Yugi said. Ryou's ring had been hidden beneath his jacket and sweater while they were in class, so the only way Isis could have known his friend's identity was if her necklace had revealed him to her.

Isis nodded, her dark, kohl rimmed eyes finding his.

"Will his yami find him soon?" Yugi said. He was desperate for his friend to discover his yami, if not only because Ryou was unknowingly missing part of his soul, but also to be able to talk to someone about all of this at last.

Isis narrowed her eyes at the eagerness in his voice. "You remind me of my brother," Isis said. "He has been asking me of the other hikaris fates for as long as I can remember."

"Yami told me that your brother is the hikari of the Millennium Rod," Yugi said. He tried to sound nonchalant as he continued. "Has he discovered his yami yet?"

"Yes," Isis said. "He has been united with his yami for three years now." She rubbed her forehead as if just mentioning the fact was giving her a headache.

_Three years! _Yugi thought. How could Yami have kept that from him? Even after the older boy had revealed Isis' brother's identity as a hikari the night before, he'd remained tightlipped about any of the details.

For the past five months, Yugi had thought he would be alone as a hikari until Ryou met his own other half. The idea had been a lonely one, and even though he knew he could tell Yami anything, Yugi wished he had someone else, another hikari, to talk to.

"Do you think I could meet your brother?" Yugi said. Excitement churned through him. He was so close, one introduction away from meeting another a hikari.

"That is unwise, Mutou-san," Isis said, frowning. "When it is time for you to know my brother, fate will bring you together."

Yugi swallowed his sigh, deflating. _What is it with these people and fate?_ he thought.

"That's what Yami keeps telling me," Yugi said. His disappointment stacked on his shoulders like concrete blocks, weighing him back down to reality. Other than Yami, he was still alone in this.

"He is the pharaoh," Isis said. "His wisdom is to be trusted." She gave him a small smile, but it did little to lift Yugi's spirits.

Yugi bowed his head, walking to the door, pausing as Isis spoke again.

"Mutou-san," she said. Yugi turned to face her. "Before you leave, I must also impress that even the pharaoh's hikari will not receive a free pass in my program."

Yugi couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Of course, Isis-sama," he said.

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><p>Yami could sense the moment his hikari entered the floor of his office.<p>

The duelist champion leaned back against the couch, finishing the paragraph of the report that he'd been in the middle of. Papers were spread around him, different sections highlighted as he tried to absorb all of the technical specifications surrounding Seto's new invention.

He closed his eyes, feeling Yugi's mind touch against his, bright and warm. No matter the distance between them, the bond between he and Yugi always existed but, much like radio, the closer they were, the clearer the connection.

The late afternoon sun spilled through the windows of his office, slanting across the carpet in golden beams. He'd always thought the space was too big, an impractical signal of his status rather than a need for storage space. With a monochrome palette, the room was devoid of any personal affects, his desk clean and organized, and the furniture arranged for the most practical flow.

His phone rang, and Yami rose to answer it.

"Atemu-san," his secretary said through the receiver, "there is someone here to see you – Yugi Mutou."

"Send him in," Yami said. He returned to his spot on the couch, leaning back against the cushions.

It was less than a minute before Yugi poked his head into the room, head swiveling to survey the decoration.

"Monochrome – how unlike you…" Yugi said, rolling his eyes. Yami's apartment both in Kyoto and in Domino also reflected the same muted grey-scale.

The younger boy entered the room, closing the door behind him. He was still dressed in his school clothes, a white button down and slacks visible under his jacket, a backpack slung over his shoulder. His hikari was several inches shorter than him, just scraping five feet, but the spikes of his hair granted him an extra few inches of height.

Yugi dropped his bag on one of the chairs in front of Yami's desk, sliding off his coat and draping it there, before walking to over to join him.

"I'm surprised to see you here," Yami said as Yugi reached him. He was even more surprised as hikari climbed on top of him, knees sinking into the cushions as he straddled Yami's legs, tucking his face into the juncture between the older boy's neck and shoulder.

The younger boy leaned into him, and Yami pulled him closer, his hands settling on Yugi's back.

"Yugi?" Yami said. When the younger boy was quiet, he reached for their bond, finding no distress from the younger boy, just a twist of…something. "What's happened?"

"Nothing," Yugi said, mumbling. His hands were resting against Yami's chest, his breath warm against his skin. He pulled back a bit, putting his head on Yami's shoulder. "I'm sorry that I am bothering you at work."

Yami frowned as his hands drifted lower down the younger boy's back, his body still carrying the chill from outside.

"Did your meeting with Isis go poorly?" Yami said. The feeling coming from his hikari wasn't anything he'd felt from the younger boy before. It was like a light shadow of grey was tinging his aura.

Yugi pulled back, settling his weight on Yami's thighs as he met his eyes. The younger boy trailed his hands up Yami's neck, fingers settling on his jaw. He held Yami still as he kissed him, lips soft against his. Yami let Yugi coax him, sending his energy down their bond, hoping to ease the younger boy.

Yugi seemed calmer as he pulled away, dark purple eyes watching him as his hands rested on Yami's shoulders.

"It's just hard sometimes," Yugi said, breaking the silence, "to deal with all of this stuff without anyone to talk to about it."

Yami didn't like where this was going. When he'd first met Yugi those months ago, the younger boy had guarded his heart like a diamond in a bank vault. It had taken almost two months to get Yugi to let down his walls, and even now, the younger boy was still struggling to open up to him completely.

"I know that I always have you to talk to," Yugi said, giving him a small smile. "It's just hard to know that these other two hikaris are out there, one of them being my best friend, and I can't even talk to them about any of this until 'fate decides'." He sighed. "It's frustrating."

Yami watched his hikari as the younger boy rubbed his hand over his face.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't even be here. I know that you're probably busy with all of this," Yugi said, gesturing to the piles of paper around them. "I just, I don't know. I just wanted to…" he said, floundering. "Talk to you, I guess." He met the older boy's eyes.

"Don't apologize," Yami said. "You _should_ share your problems with me – we are partners."

"I know," Yugi said. "It's just hard for me sometimes." He bit his lip, a nervous tell that Yami had come to associate with any time the younger boy ventured out behind his walls.

"Which is why I am glad that you came," Yami said. Relief spread through him as the realization hit him - instead of running from him, building up walls and keeping his feelings hidden, his hikari had trusted him enough to confide in him.

"I should go so that you can finish working," Yugi said. He tried to slide off Yami's lap, but the older boy grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"I _am_ glad that you came," Yami repeated. Over the past few weeks, his hikari had been transforming in front of him, and Yami couldn't believe how much the younger boy had come from the guarded boy that he'd found in that café five months ago.

Yugi untangled himself from the older boy, avoiding the papers spread around him. He slid his jacket back on, slinging his backpack over his shoulder.

"I'll see you when you get home," Yugi said. He reached for the doorknob, but paused as the handle twisted. He had to dive out of the way as the door banged open.

"Yo, pharaoh! Have you seen Seto?" Jou said. His blonde hair was tousled as he entered the room, stopping and squinting at Yugi. He towered over the smaller boy by more than a foot, and he rocked forward on his heels as he studied him.

"Yugi?" Jou said. He grinned, running a hand through his hair. "Don't tell me you're the one Yami's been shacking up with?"

Yami could feel Yugi's embarrassment radiating down their bond as his hikari glanced at him over his shoulder, his face burning with a blush.

"Yugi and I were just discussing you last night, Jou," Yami said.

"And, let me guess, the pharaoh gave you some crap about having to wait to see each other until fate brought us together?" Jou said, shaking his head.

"Well, actually – " Yugi said, but he was cut off as Jou grabbed his arm. The blonde half dragged him out of Yami's office

"You give a guy some magic and all of a sudden a simple introduction is out of the question. Seto's the same freakin' way," Jou said as he toted Yugi down the hall. "I mean – fate – come on, really?"

_Fate, indeed_, Yami thought as he returned to his paperwork, their voices fading as the two old friends disappeared down the hall.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

* * *

><p>Isis wasn't kidding about not cutting him any slack.<p>

It had been a month since Yugi's first conversation with the former tomb keeper and, over the past few weeks she had been slamming the class with enough readings and assignments to make Yugi's head spin. He could barely keep his head above water.

It probably wasn't helping that when he wasn't with Yami, he was spending most of his time with Jou, his friend eager to help him work through the revolving door of emotions that he felt for Yami and the magic of the bond that bound the two together.

"It's time for dinner," Yami said.

Yugi looked up from his book, and the older boy was frowning, leaning against the doorframe in sweat pants, bare chested as he watched him.

"Why aren't you wearing a shirt?" Yugi said. He marked his place in his book, ignoring the flutter in his stomach as he refused to survey the duelist king's lack of clothing.

Yugi was seated at the dining room table in the apartment, books spread around him. Yami's apartment was gigantic, with high ceilings and dark wooden floors, the older boy having told him it had been almost impossible to find a single bedroom, let alone a practically sized one, in the wealthy district close to Kaiba Corp headquarters.

"You insist on keeping the heat at a ridiculous temperature," Yami said, shrugging. "I'm hot."

"Are you trying to distract me?" Yugi said.

Yami lifted his eyebrows a fraction.

Yugi was close to finishing the massive assignment that was due to Isis tomorrow. He'd been working on it non-stop for the entire weekend, nose in his books as he scrambled to complete his assigned research.

Yugi picked up his pencil. "I have to finish this before tomorrow," he said. "And, 70 degrees is not hot – ask any person with a normal body temperature. It's not my fault you would keep it subzero in here if I let you." He went back to his book, restarting his sentence as Yami walked around the table.

The older boy stopped beside him. His energy wrapped around Yugi, and it took all of his concentration to diffuse the smoke that fought to consume him.

Yugi sighed, turning to glare at Yami. "Do you want me to fail this assignment?" he said.

"I want you to eat something," Yami said. He raised his arm, looking down at his watch. "You've been sitting here for eight hours and, I haven't seen you eat anything."

"That's not true!" Yugi said. "I ate…breakfast." Now that he thought about it, he was a little hungry, a lot hungry actually. "I don't have time for a break, and I am not even hungry."

Yami narrowed his eyes at him.

"Don't give me that look," Yugi said. He turned back to his books, ignoring the older boy.

Yami sighed. He disappeared down the hallway to their bedroom, returning a few minutes later wearing a shirt, and toting his jacket and shoes.

"I'm going to pick up dinner," Yami said. He buttoned up his jacket, meeting Yugi's gaze. "And, you will eat something when I return. Find a place to take a break."

Yugi rolled his eyes as Yami picked up his keys, jingling as he made his way to the door. The older boy had a bad habit of telling him what to do, and Yugi had an even worse habit of doing most of what he told him.

"No promises!" Yugi yelled after him. He deflated as the door shut, bolts clicking as Yami locked up.

Yugi stared back down at his books, words swimming together on the page. Maybe he did need a break. He moved to another reading, having immersed himself in a chapter on recent artifacts discovered in Iran when someone knocked at the front door. Yugi huffed, pushing back from the table. The universe was against him finishing this assignment.

Standing on his tiptoes, Yugi looked through the peep hole, finding Ryou. He stepped back, unlocking the door and yanking it open.

"I didn't know – " Yugi said, stopping as he looked at his friend.

Ryou's clothes were covered in dirt. His normally pressed attire wrinkled, and his hair ruffled up on one side. Skin paler than usual, a dark hickey stood out on his neck, barely hidden by the collar of his coat.

"What happened?" Yugi said. He gestured his friend inside.

Ryou was trembling as he entered the apartment, his entire body shaking with the force of his shivers.

"Should I call the police?" Yugi said. He led his friend to the living room, urging him to sit.

The room was wide, with floor to ceiling windows overlooking the thirty stories to the street below. With two couches arranged catty corner to each other, the furniture was sparse, a ceiling lamp illuminating the space in a warm glow.

Sinking onto one of the couches, Ryou shook his head.

Yugi joined him. "Ryou?" he said. "Talk to me - tell me what happened."

"I – " Ryou said. He cleared his throat, trying again. "Someone stole my wallet."

"You were mugged?" Yugi said. "We _need_ to call the police." He moved to stand but, Ryou held out his hands.

"No, I don't want to involve the police," Ryou said. "I'm fine – just a little shaken. I was close to your building so - I just needed a minute before I walked home." He was still shivering, his eyes dark as he stared at his hands.

"Did they hurt you?" Yugi said.

"It was one man," Ryou said. "He didn't hurt me but, he - touched me." He rubbed his hands down his thighs, smoothing the wrinkles in his pants.

Yugi watched his friend, the pieces clicking together – the hickey, Ryou's askew clothing. "Are you – okay?" Yugi said. Ryou was tall, but he was thin enough that he could easily be pushed around by any man of an average body mass.

"He looked like me," Ryou said. He was mumbling to himself now. "Uncanny resemblance actually."

Yugi's eyes widened. Yami had once assured him that his and Yugi's similar appearance was no coincidence, the magic of their bond having everything to do with the twists of their DNA.

"At first he was just staring at me," Ryou continued. He shook his head. "It was like he could see right through me," he said. "It was very strange." His shivers had subsided, and he crossed his arms over his stomach, hugging himself.

Yugi bit his tongue, wondering how to proceed. The door opened behind him, and both boys turned to find Yami standing in the door, a takeout bag in his hand. His eyes flicked from Yugi to Ryou, his eyes lingering on Ryou's haggard appearance.

"Ryou-san," Yami said. He closed the door behind him, balancing the bag in the crook of his elbow. "Are you alright?"

"Someone attacked him," Yugi said. "Someone that looked like him." He widened his eyes at the older boy. _It had to have been his yami_, he thought.

Yami set down the bag on the coffee table as he joined them, sitting on the adjacent sofa. "What happened?" he said.

"It happened so fast," Ryou said. "I was waiting for my friend at a restaurant, and this man showed up. He sat next to me, and he started getting…handsy." He cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "I was uncomfortable so I left and, he followed me out onto the street. Next thing I know, he's pulling me in an alley, and by the time he was gone, I realized my wallet was missing."

Yami closed his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose. "You said he looked like you?" he said.

Ryou nodded.

"Did he ask you about the Millennium Ring?" Yami said.

"No, he just – well – he didn't say much," Ryou said. He shifted on the sofa, yanking up the collar of his jacket.

"You should stay here tonight, Ryou-san," Yami said, looking up. "If this man did steal your wallet, then he now knows your identity, and it will be easy for him to find you."

Ryou paled. "You think he will look for me?" he said.

"It is possible," Yami said.

"Come on, Ryou," Yugi said. "You should take a shower and change. You have dirt all over your clothes." He stood from the sofa, waiting until his friend followed suit.

By the time, he got Ryou a change of clothes and showed him the bathroom, Yami had moved to the kitchen, gathering plates from the cabinets.

"It must have been his yami!" Yugi said, whispering as he neared the older boy.

Yami nodded. "It sounds like Bakura," he said.

"Is he dangerous?" Yugi said.

"He is a thief and a criminal," Yami said. He leaned back against the counter, folding his arms over his chest. "But, he will not hurt Ryou."

Yugi took a deep breath, mind spinning. He had been wishing that Ryou would find his yami, but he never imagined his friend would be assaulted in the process. In fact, he'd never even considered that the other yamis were much different than his yami, let alone aggressive.

"Ryou said that the man touched him," Yugi said. He took a spot next to the older boy, shoulder brushing his.

Yami sighed. "Bakura never had any impulse control," he said. "The draw is powerful. It doesn't surprise me that he couldn't control himself."

"What do you mean?" Yugi said. He turned to the older boy, hip against the counter.

"The draw I feel to you is intense at times," Yami said. His eyes were dark as he pinned Yugi with a stare. "It takes time to get used to, but it only grows with time."

Yugi swallowed, mouth dry. The older boy's fingers had moved to his hip, tracing his side.

"Ryou is here," Yugi said. His heart was racing in his chest.

"We should be discreet then," Yami said, silencing the younger boy's protests as his lips pressed against his.

Yugi's mind went blank as the older boy claimed his mouth, his hands roaming his stomach. Delicious heat spread through Yugi, weighing him back against the counter.

Yami's energy filled him, his desire rolling through the younger boy. Yugi jerked as Yami's fingers played down the front of his jeans, inhaling sharply. He grabbed the older boy's shoulders, legs shaking as Yami's hands moved to his backside, pressing Yugi up against him.

The bathroom door creaked open, and Yugi's eyes shot open. He pushed his hands against Yami's shoulders, but the older boy wouldn't budge, lips glued to his. Yugi pushed harder, and Yami moved from him, hands slipping away as he frowned.

Yugi ran his fingers through his hair, straightening his clothing. His body was throbbing with a thrum that was almost painful, a feeling that was becoming more and more common when parting from the older boy. Yami pushed a strand of Yugi's hair into place, his fingers trailing sparks on his skin before dropping to his side, eyes searing through him.

Ryou joined them in the kitchen a moment later, and Yugi hoped that his blush wasn't obvious as he took the plates to the table, moving his school papers to the side.

"You should eat something, Ryou," Yugi said. He offered his friend a chair, unpacking the takeout on the table. Yami had gotten more than enough to feed three of them.

Goosebumps raised on Yugi's arms as Yami joined them, his hand resting on the younger boy's back.

"You should eat, Ryou-san," Yami said. "Hunger can become troublesome when ignored." His fingers were moving up Yugi's spine, sparks dancing under his skin.

There was no way Yugi was getting his assignment finished tonight.

* * *

><p>"Bakura is making a fool of himself," Yami said.<p>

He was sitting across the table from his cousin, Seto as they waited to meet a potential client for lunch. The restaurant was located in one of the wealthier districts of Kyoto, a large, squat space packed with business people dressed in designer labels, discussing deals and office politics over 20 dollar salads.

Seto watched him across the table. Towering over six foot, his cousin was lean with broad shoulders and sharp features. He was a man of few words but, the intensity of his focus spoke volumes as icy blue of his eyes leveled on Yami.

"He assaulted his hikari in an alleyway last night," Yami said.

Everything about Ryou's story had Bakura written all over it. The Thief King was selfish and cruel, with calculating intelligence. He would have no problem forcing Ryou into any myriad of compromising situations without any regards to his hikari's feelings.

Still, Yami wouldn't be surprised if Bakura had stumbled across his hikari by chance and had been so unprepared for the shock, that he'd lost his head as the draw to his lighter half overtook him.

When Yami had first found Yugi, the intensity of his hunger for the younger boy had shook him. It had taken all of his willpower to give the boy his space, and even then, he'd succumbed to the intensity of his desire to pleasure his hikari the first time they entered the Millennium Puzzle.

He could feel Yugi's yearning to move further with him, but the younger boy was still holding back. Yami's legendary control was working down to a thread, and though he would never force himself on his hikari, the ache that consumed him every time they parted was becoming a constant pain in his chest.

The waitress came to take their drink orders, and Seto glanced at his watch. Their client was five minutes late. Seto was a genius, an incredibly brilliant inventor and businessman, but when it came to placating clients, he was helpless. Yami usually handled the executive business development for the company alone, but the client had requested both of them at the restaurant.

The client had called Yami's office directly, telling his secretary that he was looking to work with Kaiba Corp to build his already million dollar business. His history had checked out, but Ryuji Otogi, the founder of Dungeon Dice Monsters was late and, Seto looked annoyed as he took a sip of his water, eyes narrowed.

"Jou has been good for Yugi," Yami said, hoping to distract his cousin.

The two friends had been spending much of their time together since they'd been reunited a month ago, and Yami could see the strain easing from his hikari the more that he and Jou shared. The more time he spent with those who knew the secret of the millennium items, the faster Yugi would continue to adjust to the reality of their situation.

Seto's face softened, just slightly, at the mention of his partner's name.

"He's been more open with me since Jou began speaking with him," Yami said.

Seto watched him. Some of his annoyance seemed to have drained as they switched to the topic of his boisterous lover. The waitress brought them two cups of tea, steam rising from the cups, and the pair busied themselves with the drinks as they waited.

After a few minutes, a man approached their table, a folder tucked under his arm and his strides quick as he crossed the dining room floor. He was tall and lean, his dark hair pulled back into a ponytail and a dice earring hanging from one ear. He stopped in front of them, bowing deep.

"My apologies for being late," the man said. "I am Ryuji Otogi. Thank you for meeting me." Ryuji was beautiful in a rugged artist sort of way, his cheekbones high and his eyes saturated with emerald green.

He took a chair at the table, setting his folder down. He surveyed both of them, flinching as Seto's stare turned on him.

"What is the purpose of my attendance here?" Seto said. He was scowling at Ryuji.

"I wanted to warn you both," Ryuji said. He sat up in his chair, glancing around the room before continuing, voice lowered. "Pegasus Crawford wants you out of business, and he's trying to blackmail me to help make that happen."

Yami straightened. He had been close to dethroning Pegasus, the Industrial Illusions CEO and owner of the Millennium Eye, at a Duel Monsters tournament a few months ago, but Yami had been taken out the running after passing out during a semifinal match. Pegasus' existence remained a constant threat, with the deranged billionaire often using his power to seal innocent souls in the Shadow Realm.

"How does Pegasus expect you to assist him?" Yami said.

"He wants me to seduce your boyfriend," Ryuji said. He met Yami's eyes. "Once I gained Yugi's trust, he wanted me to bring him to him, but he was pretty adamant that I needed to get him to mess around with me first – something about weakening your bond – I don't know. The guy is crazy. I'm not even gay and, I'm definitely not a big enough douche bag to screw around with some kid just to expand my business."

Images of Ryuji's hands on his hikari, his mouth pressed against his, his fingers inching down his body, Yugi's face flushed beneath him, flashed through Yami. Jealousy burned through him with such an intensity that his hands shook. His magic snapped at its chains, demanding punishment for even the insinuation that someone could take his hikari from him, touch him, pleasure him. The shadows rattled inside of him with such a ferocity that Yami almost forgot where he was.

Yami's spine was wired straight as he stared at Ryuji, trying to calm himself. The Dungeon Dice Monsters CEO was pale-faced in his chair, as if the maelstrom roaring inside of Yami was visible by just looking at him.

"Pegasus told me that if I didn't go along with his plan, he would run me into the ground," Ryuji said. "I didn't know who else to go to."

"Get a hold of yourself," Seto said to Yami. He was pinning the duelist champion with an icy stare, slicing through his raging thoughts. Seto flagged down the waitress for the check before turning to Ryuji. "We will finish this conversation in private, and then you can fully explain to me what that moron, Pegasus is up to. I'm sure this isn't the only ridiculous step in his plan."

The shadows continued to trash inside Yami as Ryuji stood. He'd never felt such rage, and the more he considered Ryuji attempting to seduce his hikari, the more that the anger twisted, burning through him. Yugi was his. He would always be his, and no one, not even Pegasus, would threaten his claim on his lighter half.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I am posting a one-shot, _The Thief's Hikari_, in my profile of the scene of Bakura and Ryou's first meeting (aka the events that take place shortly before Ryou comes to see Yugi in this chapter). I'm a little more open with details in the one-shot so, it has been rated M for safety.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**: It took me 7,000 words to get to the 2,500 that are here in this chapter. Whew. This one took me a few days to hammer out but, sometimes that's the fun part about writing – the challenge!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

* * *

><p>Yugi was exhausted.<p>

It seemed like it was only yesterday that his only worry had been finishing his homework in enough time to spend a few hours with Yami, but recently, everything seemed to be piling up so high that even breathing seemed like an extracurricular activity.

Yugi ducked his head as a shutter clicked beside him, a photographer capturing him as he entered his and Yami's apartment building.

The media had died down when he and Yami had publically confirmed their relationship but now, the magazines had taken to photographing Yugi with Ryou and Jou, portraying his friends as a cast of lovers vying for Yugi's attention. Once the first story ran last week, the photographers returned in force, hounding Yugi and Yami about the validity of the claims, with the entire Japanese entertainment circuit speculating on the strength of his and the King of Games' relationship.

The lobby was quiet as Yugi pressed inside, cutting off the noise from the street and the group of photographers gathered outside. He caught the elevator, slumping against the wall as he waited for his floor.

His phone buzzed with a text, and Yugi found a message from Ryou.

_Home safe and sound. _ _–R_

Yugi put his phone back in his pocket. It had only been two days since Ryou had been mugged, but the man who had robbed him, a man that Yami and Yugi both speculated was Ryou's yami, had yet to make a repeat appearance. Yugi had insisted that Ryou keep him in the loop as to his whereabouts, nervous for what would happen when his friend's yami showed up again.

The elevator opened and, Yugi made his way to his and Yami's apartment. He just wanted to get inside and forget about everything – his growing stack of homework, the photographers hounding him and his friends, and the craziness that was Ryou's yami. Yugi unlocked the door, the crackle of oil and smell of tempura hitting him as he stepped inside.

Yugi shut the door behind him. He dropped his bag on the couch, walking to the kitchen and finding Yami standing at the stove, flipping something in the frying pan.

"You're home early," Yugi said. Usually, Yami was an hour behind him getting home. He walked over to the older boy, standing on his toes to press a kiss on his cheek. "You're cooking." His stomach growled as he breathed in the smell of vegetables frying in the pan. Yami never cooked, and they usually lived off takeout and the meals that magically appeared in their refrigerator each week through the high-end meal service the older boy paid for. "And it smells really good. Should I be worried?"

Yami turned his head, kissing him on the mouth. Yugi was smiling as the older boy pulled back, fading when he saw the look on Yami's face.

"There is a problem that we need to discuss," Yami said.

Yugi's shoulders drooped.

"I need a drink," Yugi said. He opened one of the cabinets, looking for the stash of wine that Yami kept for the glass he always had with dinner.

"You don't drink," Yami said.

"I think I need to start," Yugi said. He found the selection of bottles, pulling out the first in the row. "How about this one?"

Yami turned off the stove, turning to watch Yugi. He was quiet for a second. "It will be too dry for you," he said. He switched the pan to a cold burner, joining Yugi at the cabinet. He searched for another bottle, selecting one from the back.

Yugi held out his hand, but Yami didn't move.

"You should eat something with this," Yami said.

Yugi frowned, reaching for the bottle but, the older boy pulled back.

Yugi sighed. "Fine," he said. "I'll set the table."

By the time, dinner was finished and the table was set, Yugi was rigid in his chair, waiting for Yami to explain whatever new problem was being added to the growing list.

Yami poured himself and Yugi a glass of wine. Yugi stared at the glass, hands folded in his lap as he waited for Yami to begin. The older boy placed a plate of seafood tempura in front of him, and Yugi's mouth watered. It was his favorite. Whatever was going on, it was bad.

"Pegasus Crawford is the owner of the Millennium Eye and the creator of Duel Monsters," Yami said, taking his seat at the table. "I've mentioned him before and, you've probably seen him on television. He is very dangerous." He watched Yugi across the table. "Recently, it has come to my attention that you are the new target of his interest."

"What do you mean?" Yugi said. "Why would he care about me?"

"He hopes to collect you," Yami said.

"Collect me?" Yugi said.

"Pegasus is the hikari of the Millennium Eye, but his yami perished many years ago. Both of their souls now share Pegasus' body. However, it seems that the darkness in Pegasus has grown more prominent as the years have passed, and now his yami regains the majority of control," Yami said.

"Neither Seto or I know who his yami is, but he has expressed interests in collecting the millennium items and the hikaris attached to them. Pegasus' yami believes that is possible to initiate a link with the other hikaris and gain the power of the millennium items entrusted to them. We know this because Pegasus once attempted to kidnap Isis' brother but, Malik's yami was able to step in before any damage was done."

"Are you saying Pegasus wants to kidnap me?" Yugi said.

Yami nodded.

"And, if he wants to form a link between us that means that he wants to destroy the link that already exists between me and you," Yugi said.

Yami nodded again.

"So, essentially, he wants to break us up and then what…seduce me?" Yugi said.

Yami paused, nodding once more.

Yugi picked up his wine glass and chugged the liquid, grimacing at the bitterness that burned down his throat.

"Can I have some more please?" Yugi said. He held up his glass, and Yami sighed as he filled it.

Yugi set the full glass in front of him.

"Then, what's our plan?" Yugi said. He picked up his silverware and started on dinner, trying to ignore the panic building inside of him. He took a bite of tempura. It was cooked perfectly. It seemed that Yami had picked up a few tips from his mother's kitchen after all.

Yami was quiet, and Yugi looked up at him.

"I don't know," Yami said. His shoulders were tense, dark circles ringing his eyes.

Yugi picked up his wine glass and tipped the liquid down his throat.

* * *

><p>Being drunk felt like Yugi's foot was asleep, except it was his brain.<p>

"The third glass finished you," Yami said. He was helping Yugi to the bedroom after Yugi discovered that walking in a straight line was notably harder than it had been an hour ago.

Yugi stumbled and, Yami kept him steady as they reached the bedroom door.

"I can't believe he wants to – to – to collect me," Yugi said. He giggled. Everything suddenly seemed very funny. "I mean like how freakin' crazy is that! You can't just like collect people like dueling cards! I'm not the freakin' Dark Magician!"

Yami's shoulder was trembling next to him, and Yugi swung his head toward the older boy. Yami was smiling, his chest shaking as he tried to contain his laughter.

"Are you – you _laughing_ at me?" Yugi said. His head was dizzy as they stepped in the bedroom, the grey walls spinning around him like a merry-go-round.

"Of course not," Yami said. He helped Yugi sit on the bed, and Yugi flopped back against the covers.

Yami paid a maid to clean the apartment, and she used lavender detergent on all the sheets. Yugi closed his eyes and pressed his nose against the fabric, breathing deep. He felt like he was laying on a lavender cloud. He liked the maid. Mika was her name. She always wore her hair in the nicest braid Yugi had ever seen. Sometimes Anzu wore her hair in a braid too. He missed Anzu. He wondered what his friend had been up to since…

Yugi felt Yami's fingers undoing the buttons of his jeans, and he lifted his head, squinting up at the older boy.

"Are you trying to take advantage of me, Mr. – Mr. I'm the King of the Pharaohs?" Yugi said.

Yami was holding back a smile. "Do you want to sleep in your jeans?" he said.

Yugi shook his head, and Yami helped him out of his pants. Laying in his boxers in t-shirt, Yami got him situated under the covers. He eased the Millennium Puzzle from around Yugi's neck, setting it on his nightstand. Yugi yanked the blankets up to under his nose as Yami got ready for bed.

The older boy unbuttoned his shirt and slipped off his pants, dropping them in the hamper. Standing in his boxers, Yami disappeared to the bathroom, and Yugi was half dozing by the time he returned, flicking off the bedroom lights.

He joined Yugi in bed, gathering him up against him. The only way the older boy would sleep was with Yugi right next to him, his arms around him and chin resting on top of his head.

"I don't wanna get collected," Yugi said. He snuggled back against the older boy, finding the niche where he fit just right.

Yami's arms were warm around him.

"That will never happen," Yami said.

"Promise?" Yugi said. He liked being drunk. It felt like all of his problems were floating just out of reach - out of sight out of mind.

"Yes," Yami said. "I love you, aibou." He always said that, every single night, and Yugi was always such a chicken he couldn't say it back.

_Tonight's the night_! Yugi thought. _You can do this!_

"I love you," Yugi said, words stumbling together. Part of him thought he probably shouldn't be saying that out loud but, the other part seemed to think it was a really good idea, and now that it was out in the open, he wanted to say it again. "Like, I do, really. It's crazy, like mind blowingly crazy how into you I am. I love you, really."

"You're going to regret that in the morning," Yami said. Yugi could hear the smile in his voice.

"Will not," Yugi huffed, mumbling into his pillow.

It was a matter of seconds until he fell asleep.

* * *

><p><em>Ow<em> was the first word that crossed Yugi's mind as he blinked awake. His head was pounding, and the morning sun burned his eyes as it slanted across the bed. Mouth dry, he felt like he hadn't seen a glass of water in days. Last night came back to him in fragments – the wine, Pegasus, Yami putting him to bed.

Yugi's forehead wrinkled as he opened his eyes. There was something he was supposed to be doing. Yami was still tucked around him, the blankets having been kicked off sometime in the middle of the night.

Yugi looked at the clock on the nightstand. His eyes widened. _It's Wednesday! I'm going to be late for school! _he thought. He tried to untangle from Yami but, the older boy's arms tightened around him.

"What's wrong?" Yami said. His voice was heavy with sleep, as if he was still halfway into dreamland.

"I have school!" Yugi said.

"It's Shunbun no hi," Yami said, yawning.

Yugi stilled. With everything going on, he had forgotten that school was canceled for the Spring Equinox. Usually, he and his grandfather used the day off from school and the shop and went and visited his parents' and grandmother's grave, cleaning away the debris that had collected during winter.

"You don't have to work?" Yugi said.

"Not today," Yami said. He shifted, pulling Yugi back against him until the younger boy relaxed in his hold.

Yugi stared at the sunlight stretching across the floor.

"We should visit my parents this afternoon," Yami said.

Yugi nodded. It was commonplace to visit with family during the Equinox, but with Yugi's grandfather over two hours away by train, he would have to settle with calling this year.

Yugi closed his eyes, running through the previous night's conversation. He remembered the bits about Pegasus but, the part after dinner was a little fuzzy. He breathed in the smell of the lavender detergent that Yami's maid always used on the sheets, Mika was her name, and something clicked in his head. He remembered Yami holding him, telling Yugi he loved him, and then him telling Yami…

Yugi stiffened in Yami's arms._ Crap_, he thought.

"Would you like to discuss something?" Yami said. He definitely hadn't forgotten what Yugi had said last night.

Yugi forced himself to relax, leaning back against Yami's chest.

"Uh - " Yugi said. He could feel Yami tugging on their bond, his energy filling him, and Yugi melted against the older boy.

"We have nothing but time," Yami said.

Yugi turned in his arms, pressing his face against the older boy's chest. Yami's arms closed around him, and calm filled him as their auras came together, blending, one light and one dark.

"Let's sleep a little bit longer," Yugi said. He was so tired, the effort of maintaining his schoolwork, keeping Ryou afloat, and dealing with the continuous threat of shadow magic and the media, having drained him to empty.

Yami drifted back off in a matter of seconds, his breath steadying and arms softening around him.

Yugi spread his fingers over the older boy's chest. His mind wondered to the words that had come out of his mouth last night. When Yami had first told Yugi that he loved him, Yugi hadn't known how to respond. His feelings had been a giant knot in his head and, he hadn't been able to answer Yami's claim honestly, and the older boy had never pressured him to.

Now though, after four months since Yami's first admission of love, Yugi knew that his feelings had changed. He loved Yami. He couldn't imagine being with anyone else or living without him.

He mouthed the words - I love you. How hard was that? Just three words. Yugi closed his eyes, leaning his head against the older boy's chest. He wondered if would take him another four months until he was brave enough to repeat the words to the older boy without the wine loosening his tongue.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **They just put the first season of Yu-Gi-Oh on Netflix, and I was watching the final duel between Yugi and Pegasus when they go in the shadow realm. I got to the point where Yugi passes out and Yami freaks out about it, and the whole time, I am wondering how people say that Yami/Yugi is _not _canon? I mean come on, there are so many feels between them scattered throughout the whole series!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **For those that celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope it was a good one!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

* * *

><p>Yami hated board meetings.<p>

He looked down the length of the table, the dark wood covered with papers and, various phones and tablets as the board listened to the finance chief discuss stock prices. Canisters of fresh coffee sat off to the side, and the scent of dark roast was a silent seduction for a second cup as Yami's eyelids drooped.

Seto was seated at the other end of the table, his icy focus centered on the finance chief, a petite blonde with a low ponytail, as she moved onto market quotas. Floor to ceiling windows rang the length of the room, and Yami's eyes wondered to the cityscape outside, a grey sky hanging heavy above Kyoto.

He and Yugi had visited his parents last night for the Spring Equinox, his mother taking his hikari hostage in the kitchen as she prepared a late lunch, leaving Yami and his father in the den. By the time they sat down to eat, his father had been notably civil towards hikari, and Yami wondered what kind of talking to his mother had given him after their last meal together.

Yugi hadn't brought up his drunken admission of love again, instead apologizing for his behavior the night before as they made their way home. Yami had just smiled, assuring his hikari that he enjoyed watching his lighter half loosen his tight grip on his inhibitions and wondered when he would partake in an evening glass of wine again. The force of Yugi's blush had singed down their bond at the implication in his tone.

The finance chief sat down and, the marketing chief stood to present, pulling up slides on his tablet. Yami's phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out, checking the text from Jou.

_I THOUGHT U GUYS WERE HANDLING HIM?_

Yami clicked the attached link, reading the title of the article that came up – _Dungeon Dice Monsters CEO Enters the Ring for the Prince of the King of Games' Heart! _

Yami scrolled down the page, finding a series of images posted there. His mind was empty as he studied them, trying to process the pictures. They were taken in front of his and Yugi's apartment building, probably by the hordes of reporters who had been camped out there for the past week and a half. Yugi was there, his backpack slung over his shoulder and his jacket tucked under his arm. The strange part was Ryuji was there too, his dark hair pulled back in a low ponytail as he spoke to Yugi.

In the cover shot, Ryuji had his hands on Yugi, gripping his arm and shoulder, and Yugi's eyes were wide as he looked up at the taller boy. Ice dripped down Yami's conscious, thoughts settling as he focused on Ryuji. He had told Ryuji that under no circumstances should he approach his hikari. He had told him that he and Seto would handle Pegasus. He had told him to go about business as usual.

Now, he was a problem.

Seto's gaze had turned on Yami as the marketing chief moved to his next slide, and Yami realized that Jou had included Seto on the message. His cousin nodded, and Yami excused himself from the table, walking to the hallway, dialing Yugi as he went.

His hikari's phone rang with no answer. Yami walked to the elevators. The pictures hadn't indicated what happened with the pair after their initial exchange, and Yami hoped that his hikari had left Ryuji out front rather than go somewhere with him. Yami had been wary of the Dungeon Dice Monsters CEO since their first meeting in the restaurant, and now that he had gone directly against Yami's instruction, he wondered what angle Ryuji was working.

As the doors parted to the ground floor, Yami's phone buzzed. He sighed as he checked the caller ID, answering.

"Pharaoh," Mariku said. The yami of the Millennium Rod's voice was deep as he greeted him in Arabic.

"What is it?" Yami said, the vowels of his second language curling off of his tongue. His parents had taught him Arabic from an early age but, he rarely spoke it outside of his conversations with his mother or father, and the yami of the Millennium Rod, who after three years, still hated Japanese.

"I think I have something you might be looking for," Mariku said.

Yami stopped in the middle of the lobby. "Yugi?" he said.

"The brat walked into the lunch shop that I am at with someone a few minutes ago. The guy he's with looks nervous, keeps fiddling with a gun he has shoved his jacket," Mariku said. "I thought that might be of interest to you."

"What are they doing?" Yami said. Fear was a low punch in his gut. He continued through the lobby, pressing out onto the street, and shouldered past a few reporters that had gathered there.

"Talking," Mariku said. "But, I've got things to do, pharaoh, so hurry – I'm at 3rd and Sakura."

The line went dead, and Yami shoved his phone in his pocket, hailing a cab. The shop was only a few blocks from the apartment, and less than ten minutes from his office. He tried his hikari's phone again as they drove, but the call went to voicemail.

It was seven minutes later when the cab pulled over at the intersection. Yami paid the driver, crossing the pavement as he located the only restaurant on the street. The shop was a cramped, greasy place, the smell of miso and ginger wafting over Yami as he stepped inside. It was also dead silent, the few patrons in the room slack jawed as they watched the pair in the corner.

Yami turned his head, finding Ryuji pinned against the wall, Mariku's hand clamped around his throat.

"He said he'd kill me!" Ryuji said, eyes wild as they watched Mariku.

Yami found Yugi standing by a nearby table, his hikari frozen as he watched the pair.

"Mariku," Yami said. The yami of the rod glanced over his shoulder, a frown plastered on his face.

"I told you I didn't have time for this," Mariku snarled in Arabic. His spiky silver hair hung down his back, the sharp features of his face angry as he met Yami's gaze. Mariku was built like a swimmer, his arms roped with muscle and slim legs rooted to the ground as he kept Ryuji captive.

Yami reached his hikari's side, sliding his hand on his shoulder and, Yugi jerked, eyes wide as they turned to face him.

"You couldn't find a more subtle way to subdue him?" Yami asked Mariku, feeling Yugi's eyes turn on him as he responded in Arabic.

"He seemed ready to pull this," Mariku said. He pulled the gun out from the back of his jeans. "And Malik would be pissy if I let someone shoot the pharaoh's hikari before they could meet."

Yami heard the door open and shut behind him as the remaining patrons cleared from the shop, and he wondered how much longer until the police showed up. Yugi was tense beside him, watching Yami as he stepped towards the pair. Mariku shoved the gun back in his waistband.

"Was that your plan, Ryuji?" Yami said, switching to Japanese, "To take Yugi at gunpoint?" His voice was calm, detached even. He wondered if his hikari could feel the shadows building inside of him, trashing under his skin.

Ryuji was struggling against Mariku, his face as white as the wall behind him. "Pegasus said I had three days to bring him Yugi or he would kill me," Ryuji said. "I just wanted to talk to him! I wasn't going to hurt him!"

Yami shook his head. "Go, Mariku," he said, switching back to his second language. "Pegasus may be targeting Malik again as well."

Mariku released his grip on Ryuji, and the dark haired boy crumpled to the ground, clutching the red skin of his throat. The yami of the rod turned to face Yami, a half deranged grin spread across his face.

"Careful, pharaoh," Mariku said in Arabic. "I think we're scaring your brat."

Yami turned and found Yugi pale faced as he watched the exchange.

"What is going on?" Yugi said, eyes flitting between the three men before settling on his darker half.

Mariku brushed past them, arranging his cloak around his shoulders. The sound of sirens approached the shop, and Mariku yanked open the front door, tires squealing down the road.

"Our debt to you is paid after this," Mariku said.

Yami and Seto had helped Mariku recover Malik after several of Pegasus' men had tried to take the hikari last year. The yami of the rod was self-serving, wild, and violent but, when it came to his hikari, he would make any sacrifice necessary, even if it meant owing Yami a favor.

Yami nodded, and the door slammed shut behind him, leaving the three in silence. Mariku had been with Malik long enough that he could easily access the shadows of his mind control powers. He would send the police back where they came from without moving a muscle, their minds scrambling to remember why they had come at all.

Ryuji stumbled to his feet in front of Yami. His eyes searched the room, fear blooming in his pupils. There was no one to help him.

"You have broken our agreement," Yami said, voice hard. He stepped closer to Ryuji, and he shrunk back against the wall. Power built under Yami's skin, darkness urging him forward, to reach for the boy's soul. He had threatened his hikari, touched him and now, he would pay.

The shadows built around him, Yami's mind narrowing until all he saw was Ryuji, the boy's energy beating around him in a visible pulse. He was paralyzed beneath the weight of Yami's power.

"Please," Ryuji said. His voice was tiny, weak. Yami would crush his soul like an ant under his shoe.

There was no sound. There was no light. There was only Ryuji's life in his hands, pounding with terror. Yami tightened his grip on the boy's soul. Ryuji froze, muscles twitching as he struggled against the shadows, struggled to move, struggled to survive. Yami could feel the shadow realm parting, eager for the sacrifice of a new soul.

Then, the world went sideways. A weight shouldered into Yami's side, and the magic snapped from his mind as he fell.

Yami stumbled to the ground, catching himself on his hands. He whipped his head up and found his hikari standing over him, Yugi's face pale as he watched him. His hikari's mouth was moving, but the words seemed to be sucked into a void, silence echoing in Yami's ears.

The shadows raged inside of him, angry to be denied Ryuji's soul. _Punish the hikari_, the darkness whispered as he looked up at his lighter half. _He has overstepped. _

Yugi said something as Yami stood up. He stared down at his hikari, the boy's eyes searching his. Yugi's hands were shaking, but he stood firm, defiant. He was protecting Ryuji. He was protecting the man who wanted to take him. Maybe, he did want to go to Pegasus.

_Put him in his place, _the shadows whispered. _Remind him who he belongs to_. The darkness built inside of Yami, clouding his mind as the fog descended on him. He took a step closer to his hikari, but Yugi didn't flinch. He could feel his hikari's energy pushing back, the light burning the shadows as they lashed out.

_/You're hurting me/ _Yugi said through their bond. His face was drawn, mouth twisted in a grimace. His shoulders shook as if the effort was a physical force against him.

His hikari's voice in his mind cracked through the fog. Yami flinched back. It took all of his concentration to shackle the shadows, and by the time he got himself under control, Ryuji was gone and so were the police cruisers outside. Yugi was braced against the table, his breathing heavy as he steadied himself.

"Yugi," Yami said. He reached out for his hikari, and his stomach dropped as the younger boy flinched away. He dropped his arm.

"What was _that_?" Yugi said. He straightened as he met the older boy's eyes. He frowned. "Ryuji is innocent! He reached for the gun when that crazy guy got up and walked towards us because he just got jumped by Pegasus' men last night!" He threw up his hands. "What were you thinking using the shadows on him? He was terrified and, now everything is even worse."

"Why did you come here with him?" Yami said.

"He didn't want to talk in front of all the reporters outside of the apartment," Yugi said, exasperated. "I told him we could come here. He told me that he'd come to you for help with Pegasus, and you abandoned him!"

"Seto and I have the Pegasus situation under control," Yami said, grinding out the words.

"No, you don't!" Yugi said. He flung his hands out. "Because if you did, you wouldn't have even brought it up last night. You would have just kept me in the dark like you do everything else."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Yami said.

"You keep things from me!" Yugi said. "You say that you trust me but, how long have you known about Pegasus?"

Yami was quiet.

"Exactly! You only tell me things when you have no other choice," Yugi said. "Do you know how frustrating that is?"

Shame pulsed through Yami, twisting in his gut. He had let the shadows cloud his judgment until he had become as unhinged as Mariku or Bakura. But worse, he had been keeping secrets from his hikari, even after he chastised the younger boy over and over for doing the same thing to him.

"I feel your anxiety through our bond, and, all of the stress you carry is a result of your association with me," Yami said. "I do not wish to add to those burdens."

Yugi stared up at him, mouth open. "Are you serious?" he said. He shook his head, gesturing with his hands, frustration building as he continued. "Did you not hear me the other night? I said, I love you! I may have been drunk, but it was the truth. I love you and all the stuff that comes with you, and that means if I have to share all my crap with you then you better start sharing yours and get over all this secret keeping because we are supposed to be _partners_! Partners don't keep secrets!"

Yami stared at him. There they were, the three words he had been waiting for. His hikari loved him. The realization rocked him, drying the words in his throat. He stared down at the younger boy.

"What?" Yugi demanded. His cheeks were flushed, arms crossed as he looked up at the older boy. His hikari could be a stunning force when angry.

"Nothing, aibou," Yami said.

"Well – okay then," Yugi said. He began to deflate, anger whooshing out of him like an emptying balloon. Yugi cleared his throat. "Now, we can talk about what in the world you were thinking trying to send Ryuji to the shadow realm, who that guy was, and why you have never told me that you can speak Arabic."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'm writing Mariku from a more stable perspective because I'm assuming that in the time he has known Malik in this AU (three years) that he has progressed from the insane character he is in the anime.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

* * *

><p>Yugi had a headache.<p>

The Kyoto sky was grey above him, clouds heavy with the threat of rain and air warm with the approach of spring. He and Yami walked down another block, the street crowded with packs of students recently released from school and cars snared in the beginnings of rush-hour.

He and Yami were headed to the west side of the city, to the Hana Hotel. In their brief conversation, Ryuji had mentioned to Yugi that he had checked in two days ago, after Pegasus' men had broken into his Kyoto apartment and threatened him. The men had told him if he refused to his cooperate, Industrial Illusions would steamroll Dungeon Dice Monsters in an intellectual property lawsuit that would drain Ryuji dry.

"So, are you going to tell me why you almost sent Ryuji to the shadow realm?" Yugi said.

The only reason Ryuji had approached Yugi was to warn him about Pegasus' plan, having been worried that Yami and Seto had dismissed his initial warning. Ryuji planned to fight Pegasus in court, refusing to take part in the deranged billionaire's plan to gain Yugi's trust and then betray him.

Yugi glanced over at Yami. The older boy's face was drawn, his hands shoved in the pockets as he walked. He hadn't said a word since they left the shop ten minutes ago.

"The shadows are harder to tame when you are at risk," Yami said.

"Ryuji isn't a risk," Yugi said, shaking his head. "I didn't feel at risk until the shadows clouded your judgment." He ignored the quiver in his stomach at the memory of Yami turning on him, his eyes empty and angry, darkness coating his aura in a fog.

Yami reached for Yugi's arm, leading him to a stop off to the side of the sidewalk.

"It won't happen again," Yami said.

Yugi knew that Yami would never purposely hurt him but, when it came to the shadows, Yami's control was still a work in progress.

"I would never hurt you, aibou," Yami said. His body was tense, muscles rigid as he watched Yugi.

"I know," Yugi said. "But, we have to work on getting your magic under control. I mean, isn't that why we are linked anyway? So that I can help you?"

Yami nodded. The pair continued back down the sidewalk in the direction of the west side and Ryuji's hotel. Yugi reached for Yami's hand, and the older boy gave him a small smile as Yugi's fingers curled around his.

They found a cab after another few blocks, making it to the Hana Hotel twenty minutes later. Yugi stared up at the crumbling brick building, the tint from the glass doors peeling as they pressed inside.

The lobby was musty and dim as they entered, the air rattling through the vents overhead as they approached reception. A broad shouldered boy with a dark head of hair sat behind the desk and, his nametag read 'Honda.' He glanced up as they stopped in front of him.

"Yo," Honda said. "How can I – uh – assist you?"

"We are looking for Ryuji Otegi," Yugi said.

Honda returned to his computer, his fingers flying across the keys before he shook his head.

"Sorry - no one checked in with that name," Honda said.

"Perhaps you will recognize a photo of him," Yami said. He held up his phone, and Honda studied the image. He nodded.

"Yeah, I remember him," Honda said. "He checked in a few days ago when I was working night shift. Ihutsu, I think his name was."

"We need his room number," Yami said, shoving his phone back in his pocket.

Honda shook his head. "No go, man. I could get fired for that," he said. "All you can do is wait till he gets back." He gestured to a few sagging arm chairs a few feet away.

"Can you dial his room?" Yami said. "He is expecting us."

Honda frowned, but went back to his computer. After a few seconds of typing he picked up the phone and dialed, but shook his head after a few rings. "No answer."

"Thank you. We will wait," Yami said. He led Yugi away from the desk, and to the waiting area.

"What if he's already been here and gone?" Yugi said, whispering. He glanced over his shoulder at Honda, who had already gone back to his computer.

Yami gripped Yugi's shoulder as he deviated from their course, yanking Yugi down a hallway with a sign and arrow pointing towards the rooms.

"What are you doing?" Yugi hissed. "We don't even know his room number!"

"120," Yami said as they walked further down the hallway, squinting in the dim bulbs that lined the way. "The receptionist had to dial the room number to call."

Yugi shook his head. Yami was one part smart and one part devious.

They came across a set of stairs, ascending before wondering the halls until they reached room 120. Yami knocked on the door but, the room remained silent inside.

Yami turned to him. "Aibou…" he said.

"No way," Yugi said, already knowing where he was headed.

"I've seen you pick locks before," Yami said.

"Once - I did it once," Yugi said, shaking his head. "And, I was locked out of the shop then. I wasn't breaking and entering."

Yami sighed. "Ryuji could be in danger," he said. "Any hints we have to his current situation would be helpful."

"What _would have_ been helpful," Yugi said, gritting his teeth, "is if you had let Ryuji finish telling me what was going on before having your crazy friend attack him!"

"The crazy friend is named Mariku," Yami said. "And, he's not my friend. He's the yami of the Millennium Rod."

Yugi wasn't surprised. He had felt something off about the man since he'd first looked at him in the shop.

"I'm still not doing it," Yugi said.

"It's in the benefit of Ryuji's safety," Yami said. "I thought that was the point of this."

Yugi huffed, staring up at the ceiling. The yellowed surface needed a good scrubbing, probably a new coat of paint altogether. "Fine," he said. He dug out his wallet, selecting a worn, scratched card from the back and studied the door lock.

He had mastered the art as a teenager after he'd come home from school more than once to find his grandfather locked out of the shop when the older man had gone outside to sweep and left his keys. It happened enough that it was either learn to pick the lock or get used to scaling the tree to the second story windows, a difficult feat especially since heights terrified Yugi.

"Tell me about, Mariku and his hikari – Malik, right?" Yugi said, sliding the card between the door jam. He glanced over when Yami remained silent. "This is going to take a few minutes, and you owe me for the whole shadow thing."

Yami paced behind Yugi as he worked the lock.

"They met three years ago when Mariku was visiting Isis' first Egyptian exhibit in a Tokyo museum. He came across Malik, who was assisting his sister at the time, and Mariku realized who he was immediately," Yami said.

Yugi jiggled the handle, twisting the cad. "Then what?"

"Mariku kidnapped him," Yami said.

Yugi paused, glancing over his shoulder. "What?"

"He kidnapped him," Yami repeated. He shrugged. "I have told you that the feelings that a yami experiences when first encountering his or her hikari are intense."

"You didn't kidnap _me_," Yugi said.

"No," Yami agreed. "But, when we met, the idea of you leaving my sight seemed so unthinkable that it took all of my will to let you return home. Letting you go after I had found you was difficult, much how any extended separation continues to be hard for both of us."

Yugi returned to the lock.

Even from the beginning, being separated from Yami had been a struggle, an exhausting, aching struggle that made him feel exhausted, lonely, and cranky. It had gotten better as the months had passed, with the pair being able to separate for the better part of a day without effect, but Yugi often worried how they would both fair if kept apart for longer amounts of time.

"Malik escaped from Mariku after only a few hours," Yami continued. "Mariku had falsely assumed that his hikari was weaker than him. However, the Ishtar siblings grew up in the tombs of Egypt and as you have experienced first-hand with Isis, they are not easily bullied."

"That wasn't a good start to their relationship," Yugi said. He was halfway through the lock, the card straining with the force of his ministrations.

"Indeed," Yami said. "It took Mariku another three months to convince Malik back to him, but Malik had grown up with the knowledge of his lineage as a hikari. He knew who Mariku was, and he yet he forced him to wait."

"Malik didn't want to just roll over, I guess," Yugi said.

"And that is what makes him the perfect match for Mariku," Yami said. "He was born to be the only person who can keep a handle on him."

"Why can't I keep a handle on you then?" Yugi teased. He was almost finished with the lock, the card millimeters from the bottom.

"Aibou, you are the _only_ one who can keep a handle on me," Yami said. His aura flared and as the heat of Yami's energy arched down their link, Yugi popped the lock.

Yugi got to his feet, swinging the door open, his eyes adjusting to the dark interior. Yami held him back, shouldering in front and, Yugi sighed.

The room was pitch dark, the curtains closed tight, and Yugi fumbled for a light switch. Finding it, a lamp flickered on next to the bed, illuminating the space in a fluorescent glow. The room was empty, the bed made and devoid of any belongings. Yami opened the closet, finding only hangers inside.

"He's gone," Yugi said. Regret weighed down on him. He had wanted to help Ryuji. The Dungeon Dice Monsters CEO had been minding his own business when Pegasus had approached him. He was innocent and, he'd tried to help Yugi. Ryuji didn't deserve any of this.

Yami walked around the room, surveying the space.

"Do you think we can find him?" Yugi said.

"I'm not sure," Yami said. "Seto may be able to track his phone but, if Ryuji was smart, he would have already disposed of it, and considering my less than friendly interaction with him, I don't think he will attempt to approach you again."

"But, what about Pegasus?" Yugi said.

"Pegasus does not make empty threats," Yami said. He walked back to Yugi, meeting his eyes. "Never underestimate his power, doing so has cost many their souls."

Yugi was worried for both Ryuji and himself.

Yami led Yugi from the hotel room, hand on his back as he propelled him forward and back into the hallway. The door clicked closed behind them, and for a moment, Yugi wondered if even the King of Games could protect him from Pegasus Crawford.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Someone asked me if I would do a short story on Mariku/Malik and, I am planning on it but probably not until this story is finished.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

* * *

><p>Yugi watched the country side pass by, train rocking beneath him.<p>

His backpack was nestled between his feet, book in hand as he stared out the train window, a blur of trees, water, and grey sky whipping past. Beside him, Yami was slumped against the window, eyes closed and dead to the world. His empty cup of tea was sitting in front him, the older boy having fallen asleep the minute he'd taken the last sip.

The cabin was packed tight with occupants, and the low murmur of conversation and the smell of dark roast from the coffee cart was Yugi's constant companion as he sat jammed in his seat.

He was relieved to see Yami getting some sleep. The older boy had been holding onto a lot of stress ever since Pegasus had set his sights on Yugi, his sleep poor and his aura tinged with anxiety. It had been a week since the incident with Ryuji, and the Dungeon Dice Monsters CEO had yet to turn up, having disappeared like smoke on the wind.

Dark circles rimmed Yami's eyes as he slept, his shoulders tense and head tucked against his chest as he dwelled in unconsciousness. Yugi touched Yami's knee. He was finding that if he focused, he could use his own energy to calm the older boy, much as he did for him. It took a bit of concentration to reach for the bond that linked them, willing his own aura to wrap around Yami.

The older boy's shoulders drooped as Yugi's energy filled him, tension draining from his face as he exhaled.

Yugi's phone buzzed in his pocket, and he checked the message, finding a text from Anzu.

_already miss u :'( !_

The pair had been visiting Domino for the past few days as part of Yugi's mid-semester break, and they had spent a good deal of time with Anzu, Yugi having barely talked to his friend since his and Yami's move to Kyoto over two and half months ago.

"Excuse me, Yugi Mutou?" a young woman said.

Yugi looked up to find one of train attendants, a dark haired woman with a blue uniform, standing beside him. He nodded.

"Your presence is requested in business class," she said.

"Oh, uh – " Yugi said. He glanced at Yami, still fast asleep. "By who?"

"He said his name was Ryuji Otegi," the woman said, smiling.

"What!" Yugi said, startled.

The woman leaned back.

"Sorry," Yugi said. "I just wasn't expecting him to be on this train." He stood up, glancing back at Yami, still asleep.

The older boy hated Ryuji, and his presence wouldn't be any comfort to the Dungeon Dice Monsters CEO. It would best to fill him in after. Yugi followed the woman through the cabin, doors whooshing behind them as they moved to the front of the train.

The attendant punched in a code as they entered first class, and they passed the roomier accommodations before reaching the private compartments. They stopped as they reached one of the compartment doors.

"Here you are, sir," the attendant said. She bowed and slipped back down the hall, and Yugi watched as she disappeared from the cabin, doors swishing closed as she went.

Yugi opened the door. It was a tiny room, a wide window stretching across the length to offer the same rainy exterior, and two rows of seats facing each other with a table between them. Ryuji was slumped forward on the table, eyes closed and face pale. Across from him, a grey haired man wearing sunglasses and a suit sat typing on a laptop.

"Ryuji!" Yugi said. He stepped inside when the boy remained still.

"Mr. Mutou," the man said, "please have a seat." He gestured to the empty spot in front of him.

Yugi ignored him, eyes trained on Ryuji. He almost sighed in relief when he confirmed the boy's chest was rising and falling.

"My name is Croquet," the man continued. "My employer requested that I speak with you." He stood from his seat. "Please come in."

"What did you do to Ryuji?" Yugi said. He studied the man, his image reflected back in the man's sunglasses.

"Please sit, Mr. Mutou," the man said. He moved towards him and, Yugi flinched back.

"What did you do to him?" Yugi repeated. Fear was a heavy weight in his gut.

The man sighed, reaching in his jacket and brandishing a gun. He clicked the safety, aiming the gun at Ryuji.

"Shut the door, Mr. Mutou," he said.

Yugi's hands shook as he pressed the door closed behind him.

"Sit," the man said.

Yugi collapsed next to Ryuji. He forced air through his lungs.

Croquet returned to his seat, taking the gun off of Ryuji. The gun disappeared under the table as he fiddled with his laptop. He turned it to face Yugi, the screen blank. He held out a pair of headphones.

"My employer regrets that he cannot be here in person, but he has recorded a message for you," he said.

Yugi took the headphones, glancing at Ryuji's unconscious form. He slid them on.

The laptop screen flickered as a silver haired man filled the screen, only one eye visible as a curtain of hair covered half of his face. _Pegasus_, Yugi realized.

"Yugi Mutou," the man said, smiling, showing a row of straight white teeth. "I am Pegasus Crawford, the creator of Duel Monsters and founder of Industrial Illusions." His fingers pushed back the curtain of hair, revealing the glint of gold that was the Millennium Eye.

A shiver trickled down Yugi's spine. Yugi tried to take the headphones off but, he found that his hands were paralyzed, in fact, his entire body was frozen.

"Now, now, Yugi-boy," Pegasus said. "You'll waste your precious energy trying to struggle."

Yugi froze. _I thought this was a recording, _he thought.

"A recording wouldn't be as amusing," Pegasus said.

_Did he just – _Yugi thought.

"Read your mind?" Pegasus said. He smiled again, cheeks stretching to accommodate the force of his grin.

Yugi felt nauseous.

"I was wondering if you would come visit me?" Pegasus said. "You see, I've been trying to ask you for quite some time, but your boy-toy has been making it quite a struggle."

"What do you mean?" Yugi said.

"Well, I just want to have a nice chat, and he doesn't think we should get to know each other," Pegasus said. He pouted out his lower lip like a child denied sweets before dinner.

"Yami has barely mentioned anything about you," Yugi lied. He tried moving his foot but, found it frozen in place. He couldn't look away from the screen no matter how hard he tried.

"I can sense when you're lying, Yugi-boy," Pegasus said, leaning closer to the camera as if sharing confidences with an old friend.

"What did you do to, Ryuji?" Yugi said.

Pegasus smiled. "His soul took a long vacation."

Yugi swallowed.

"I think you should come visit me, Yugi-boy," Pegasus said. "After all, it would be a shame if your boy-toy and your friend, Ryuji didn't make it off this train alive." He threw back his head, silver hair falling around his shoulders as he laughed. It took him a second to settle down, his Millennium Eye glinting.

"How would I get there?" Yugi said. His blood chilled at Pegasus' threat.

"You'll go with Croquet without any trouble, and get off at the next train stop, which is approximately," Pegasus said, pausing to look at his watch, "five minutes."

Sure enough, an attendant buzzed over the sound system a second later – arriving in Kobe, please prepare to depart if this is your final destination.

"I can't just leave without telling anyone," Yugi said. He reached for his bond with Yami but found a concrete wall separating them. His heart sped up. He was alone.

"Now, now. I can't have you rousing him awake and ruining the fun, can I?" Pegasus said. He grinned. "I think he's having too good of a slumber right now anyway."

_His anticipating everything I do before I even do it,_ Yugi thought.

"Be a good boy and, go with Croquet," Pegasus said. "Trust me, Yugi-boy. Bad things come to those who defy me." The ice that seeped into Pegasus' voice sent goose bumps down Yugi's arms.

"I'll come," Yugi said. "But, leave Yami out of this and, give – give Ryuji back his soul."

"Feisty!" Pegasus said. He grinned. "I like that, Yugi-boy." He rubbed his chin as if in deep thought. "I'll tell you what, I'll guarantee Yami Atemu's safety but, Ryuji's soul will remain mine until you join me on the Island. Then, his soul is free."

Panic pumped through Yugi's veins. "Deal."

"Excellent!" Pegasus said. "I am so looking forward to your arrival!"

The screen winked out, and Yugi slumped back in the seat. His muscles back under his control.

"Let's go," Croquet said. He closed the laptop and stored it and the headphones in his bag. He grabbed Yugi's arm, hauling him out of his seat, and out of the compartment.

"What about, Ryuji?" Yugi said.

The train was sliding to a stop and, passengers were gathered in the hallway with their bags as they reached the Kobe station.

"He will be collected," Croquet said. The older man's fingers were a death grip around Yugi's arm, and he tugged him out on the platform with ease.

Yugi didn't resist as they moved away from the train. He tried to search the windows for Yami but, their seats were too far back. As Croquet pulled him into the terminal, Yugi felt emptiness rising inside of him, choking the breath from his lungs as the train disappeared from his sight.

* * *

><p>Yami's head was pounding.<p>

His eyes flickered open, but he closed them as the light hit his pupils. Mouth fuzzy, he swallowed, forcing his eyes open but, they were bleary as they dilated. It felt like someone had smacked his head against a concrete wall, black dots filling his vision as he tried to wake up. His limbs were heavy weights beneath him.

He managed to move his arm, feeling for Yugi and found the seat cold and empty. He whipped his head to the side. His hikari was gone, and he had been for a while.

Yami tried to stand, but his legs gave out from under him. He crashed back in his seat. It was pitch black outside the window, and the train was completely empty.

_Pegasus,_ Yami thought. He could feel the panic burning inside of him, twisting his insides. He reached for his connection with Yugi and felt nothing, not even the slightest twinge that the younger boy existed.

His breath was coming out in fast exhales. _You're panicking_, Yami told himself. _You can't help Yugi if you allow fear to blind you_. He wouldn't even allow himself to consider the alternative as to why Yugi was gone from his mind. Even if a hikari died, their souls were tied to their yami. One couldn't exist without the other.

Yami forced his hand in his pocket, fumbling with his phone. His vision was crisscrossing as he managed to get the device out. He leaned his head back, forcing breath through his lungs. He'd been drugged. There was no doubt in his mind. He hit the speed dial on his phone, trying Yugi's number, hitting speaker phone.

The phone rang and rang with no answer.

Yami tried Seto. His cousin picked up his phone on the third ring.

"What?" Seto said. He'd never been big into pleasantries.

"Pegasus," Yami said. The word sounded slurred even to him. He tried to annunciate as he continued. "Yugi is gone."

"Where are you?" Seto said.

"On a train – don't know where – empty now," Yami said. He was feeling more lucid the longer he kept his eyes opened. "I've been drugged." His eyes settled on the empty tea cup in front of him, and he could have slapped himself. It would have been easy to slip a pill into the liquid without him even noticing.

"I'm locating you now," Seto said.

Yami could hear the sound of fingers across the keyboard through the phone.

"You're in Tokyo right outside of the train station," Seto said.

"What about Yugi?" Yami said. He could hear Jou say something in the background.

Seconds passed by with excruciating slowness.

"He's nowhere with a clear signal," Seto said.

"What time is it?" Yami said.

"10:14," Seto said.

Yami's eyes flew open. They had gotten on the train at 11 o'clock this morning. That meant Yugi had been gone and Yami had been asleep for at least ten hours. Yami tried standing again, his legs wobbling underneath of him. He took a step, then another.

"I need to get to Illusion Island," Yami said. He knew Pegasus had to be involved in this, and the only place the deranged CEO would take a prisoner was to his secluded, heavily guarded island off the coast of Japan.

The door to the cabin opened, and a janitor with a trash bag, yelped as he saw Yami standing there.

"Sir! You shouldn't be here!" he said.

Yami mustered the strength to keep his balance as he walked. Pegasus must have paid someone off on the train to spike his tea and make sure that he remained undisturbed during the ride and after the train completed its route, otherwise he would have been forced off the train several hours ago when it had made its last stop.

Yami sidestepped the man, and stepped through the cabin doors, searching for an exit.

"A Kaiba Corp helicopter will be landing at our Tokyo offices in an hour to bring you home," Seto said.

"Why wouldn't he just go right to the source and give that Pegasus the beat down he's asking for?" Jou said.

Yami shook his head.

"Illusion Island is only accessible by boat," Yami said. "Any aircraft that approaches is shot down on sight." He thanked his cousin before hanging up.

It was another few seconds until Yami found an exit, passing another surprised cleaning person wiping down the train windows.

Yami glanced down as his phone as it buzzed with a new message from an unknown number. It was a picture of Yugi, looking over his shoulder, wide eyes meeting the camera, and a castle looming in front of him. The sun was still out, so it must have been taken earlier in the day, and his hikari looked unharmed as he glanced back at the camera.

He scrolled to the next message as it came in:_ You should keep a better eye on your toys. It's been awhile since I've had someone so innocent to play with._

Yami stumbled out of the train. He was dry heaving as his knees hit the gravel, head still pounding as his mind reached out in instinct, shadows slamming inside of him searching for his hikari's presence.

The drugs were still pumping through his system, and the fresh air was a welcome brush against his face, his sweat cold on his brow. The shadows seemed stronger than ever as he stumbled to his feet, moving towards the lights of Tokyo's train terminal.

His worst fear had come to reality. Yugi was in Pegasus' grasp. Their bond was being blocked somehow, and Yami had no way to get to Illusion Island without being shot out of the sky. And maybe worst of all, Yugi was alone with the Soul Stealer, a man who had every intention of possessing his light in more ways than one.

Yami leaned over, dry heaving once more.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **I am posting this chapter and chapter nine in one go. They were originally written as one chapter, but I think stylistically they work better as two. Timing of this chapter is set a few hours before Yami wakes up on the train (in the chapter 7).

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

* * *

><p>Yugi couldn't breathe.<p>

He ascended the never ending stone staircase leading to Pegasus' castle, begging his lungs to cooperate as he started up the last flight. He wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.

It had been less than an hour since he and Croquet had arrived at Illusion Island, the helicopter dumping them at the base of the mountainous trek leading to Pegasus' castle. They had traversed most of the property in the better part of ten minutes, the all-terrain Jeep Croquet had summoned bumping through the thick forest that surrounded the castle.

The leaves and flowers were blooming in force, barely disguising the missile launchers that stood at attention along the island's coast. It seemed that Illusion Island wasn't interested in receiving uninvited guests.

The breeze was a cool brush against Yugi's skin, carrying with it the smell of brine from the sea. Limestone comprised the castle's exterior, the stone fortress looming in front of Yugi as he reached the top of the stairs. Two wooden doors stood at attention in front of him, towering over Yugi by several feet.

Croquet, who had barely said a word since leaving the train, called for him to turn around. Yugi paused, glancing over his shoulder and the older man snapped a photo with his phone.

"What are you doing?" Yugi said.

The older man put his phone back in his pocket. "A request from Mr. Crawford," he said. He joined Yugi at the top of the stairs, heaving one of the doors open, the hinges creaking under the weight. He gestured Yugi inside.

Skylights ran the length of the entrance hall, the afternoon sun gleaming against the gold ornaments that lavished the walls. Yugi's tennis shoes sunk into the thick rug lining the way.

Croquet hurried him along, leading him through a blur of pale green walls, hallways and doors. By the time they stopped in front of a set of double doors, Yugi was so turned around he doubted he'd be able to find his way out again.

"Mr. Crawford will be with you momentarily," Croquet said. He swung open one of the doors, revealing an empty board room.

Yugi stepped inside, and the door clicked shut behind him. A dark table stretched in front of him, a large television screen hanging from the ceiling to face the table's head. Golden beams of sunlight fell through the series of windows across the far wall, offering a view of the ocean sparkling in the distance.

Hands shaking, Yugi moved to the window, finding the jagged edges of a cliff jutting below. He paced the length of the room. He hoped that Yami was okay. Yugi hadn't felt the older boy's presence in his mind for hours now, as if their link had been jammed the moment Pegasus had appeared on that laptop screen.

The doors burst open. Yugi whipped around. White teeth, silver hair, and a golden eye greeted him.

Pegasus Crawford had arrived.

* * *

><p>"Yugi-boy!" Pegasus said. He opened his arms, floating into the room. "What an honor."<p>

Yugi was frozen in place. Pegasus glided across the room, taking a seat at the head of the table. He was wearing a red suit, a ruffled collar fluffed around his neck with a bow. He could have passed as a cartoon character, his silver hair glinting with purple undertones, giving his skin a ghostly look, as if he hadn't seen the sun in years.

"Won't you sit with me?" Pegasus said. His brown eye centered on Yugi, watching him like a rare bug, half torn between squashing him beneath his boot or preserving him in a glass frame.

"I want proof that Ryuji and Yami are safe," Yugi said. He was surprised by the firmness of his voice. Terror had become a consistent thrum in his chest.

Pegasus sighed. "Croquet!" he called. He waited a moment before he gestured for Yugi to join him.

Yugi rounded the table, stationing himself several feet behind Pegasus as the television screen flickered to life. The screen was divided in half, two separate frames focused on Yami and Ryuji. Yami was still asleep on the train, slumped against the window, chest rising and falling. He looked unhurt. Tears pricked at Yugi's eyes as he watched the older boy sleep.

"Why is he still asleep?" Yugi said. It had been several hours since Croquet had taken him from the train.

Pegasus turned in his chair. "He's exhausted, Yugi-boy," he said. "He's been keeping so many secrets from you. It seems that all of his lies have finally got to him."

Yugi ignored the billionaire. Yami was alive – that's what mattered. He studied Ryuji's feed. The older boy was still unconscious, slumped over the table in the train cabin where Yugi had first discovered him and Croquet.

"You said you would release his soul," Yugi said.

Pegasus smiled. His eye glowed underneath of his hair, the golden beams of light growing in intensity before snuffing out in one final pulse. On the screen, Ryuji gasped to life. He flung himself out of his seat as he searched the room, gulping down air.

"There!" Pegasus said. "Everyone is safe and sound, and our deal is complete." He patted the space next to him, and the screen went black once more. "Now, come have a seat."

Yugi took the chair beside the older man, making sure to scoot far enough away that he was out of arm's reach. Not that it would do much good, he had just watched Pegasus return Ryuji's soul without even flinching. Yami hadn't exaggerated. Pegasus was dangerous and definitely a seasoned pro when it came to his shadow magic.

"Why am I here?" Yugi said. He was tired and scared, and he'd had enough of Pegasus's games. He just wanted to go home.

"I want us to be friends," Pegasus said. He didn't even look tired. Even the tiniest use of his magic drained Yami's energy, but Pegasus looked no worse for wear even after having used his magic on someone hundreds of miles away.

Yugi just stared at him.

"After all, hikaris are so few in the world – it seems only _right_ that we be friends," Pegasus said.

"Then why did you bring me here?" Yugi said. "Friends don't threaten friends to get them to visit."

"I had to!" Pegasus said. "That yami of yours wouldn't let me even talk to you. Do you know he's been having you followed for weeks now?"

"That's a lie," Yugi said.

Pegasus leaned closer. "Do you really believe that?" he said. "I've been watching you for a while now, Yugi-boy, and if anything, you must realize by now that Yami Atemu does not trust anyone but himself. He doesn't trust you to take care of yourself any more than you can trust him to keep his shadow magic under control."

"That's not true!" Yugi said. He'd give anything to have Yami here with him.

"Then why doesn't he let you out of his sight half of the time then? Hm?" Pegasus said.

Yugi sat back in his chair, silent. _He's trying to psyche you out_, he reminded himself.

There was a knock at the door, and a moment later a woman with a tea cart entered. Pegasus didn't take his eyes off of Yugi as she wheeled the cart across the floor, sitting a full kettle and two cups in front of them. She bowed, and Yugi met her eyes, as gold as the sun, as she went to leave. The door clicked closed again as she left.

"Tea?" Pegasus said. He poured Yugi a cup then himself. The older man watched Yugi over the rim of his cup as he took a sip. Pegasus' attention was unnerving, as if he was half expecting Yugi to fall down at his feet in awe of his power at any second.

Yugi stared at his cup. If he didn't look at the older man, maybe he could calm down enough to figure out a plan. He startled as he felt a pressure begin to build in his head. The force was slight but, it nudged against the walls of his mind, testing their strength.

"Stop!" Yugi said. He staggered out of his chair and, Pegasus simply blew on his tea as he watched. "You can't just do this to people! You can't just kidnap them and force your way into their heads!

Yugi took a ragged breath. "I know what you are trying to do, and it won't work! I love Yami and, you can't change that. No matter what you say or do." he said.

Pegasus studied him, settling his cup back in his saucer. For a moment, Yugi wondered if he'd gone too far. He readied himself for another onslaught on his mind, positioning himself behind his chair.

"Let's make a deal," Pegasus said. He picked up his tea, taking another sip.

"What kind of deal?" Yugi said, cautious.

"You stay here with me for a week, one entire week, and if you want to go when the week has concluded, you are free," Pegasus said.

"I don't believe you," Yugi said.

Pegasus titled his head. "I haven't lied to you yet, have I, Yugi-boy?"

Yugi frowned. The older man had kept his word about Yami's safety and returning Ryuji's soul but, Yami had warned him that Pegasus was tricky. He couldn't trust the billionaire but, what other choice did he have?

"And you'll never bother me or my friends again?" Yugi said.

Pegasus nodded.

Yugi steadied himself on the back of his chair. This was a bad idea, a horrible one. He could practically hear Yami shouting for him to refuse, escape, anything, but Yami wasn't there. Yugi was alone, and he didn't see any other options that didn't include losing his soul. A week would give him time, enough time to figure out a plan to get away from here.

"Deal," Yugi said.

Pegasus clapped his hands together. "Wonderful!" he said. He gestured to Yugi's empty chair. "Now, sit and have tea with me."

Yugi rejoined the table. His cup rattled in the saucer as he grabbed the handle. Pegasus smiled at him, and Yugi picked up his cup, downing the first bitter sip.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

><p>Yugi loved Illusion Island.<p>

He ignored the fuzzy feeling in his head as he trailed down the hallway. Pegasus let Yugi go wherever he wanted and when he wasn't sleeping, he spent his time wondering the halls. The castle was a maze and, Yugi still couldn't figure out where in the world half of the stairs and doors led.

Pegasus had requested him in his study, and Yugi was happy to oblige. He'd been at the island for a few days now, maybe two – or was it twenty? Either way, Pegasus' study was the one room he always seemed to be able to find.

He stopped in front of the study door, knocked, and waited for Pegasus's muffled reply.

"Yugi!" Pegasus said as he stepped inside. He was seated at his desk, the mammoth wood structure dwarfing his lean frame. The older man was all smiles as his attention fell on Yugi, the lines of his face sharp enough to cut glass.

"Hi!" Yugi said. He couldn't remember why he'd disliked Pegasus so much in the beginning. The older man was nice, amazing actually. He was funny and smart, and he always listened to whatever Yugi had to say.

Yugi took one of the chairs across from the older man. The lights in the study were dimmed, a fire crackling in the fireplace, coating the room in a warmth that settled like weights in Yugi's limbs. He flopped back in chair, sinking against the cushions. Everything in the castle was soft, like stretching out on a cloud.

"How are you feeling, Yugi-boy?" Pegasus said. His brown eye watched him, searing through Yugi, making his cheeks flush.

There was a familiar pressure in his head, but Yugi ignored it. Pegasus had explained that his Millennium Eye allowed him to keep all the bad thoughts out of Yugi's head and, Yugi had no problem with that. Why feel pain when he could just feel happy?

"I'm good – great, really," Yugi said. There were no problems on Illusion Island, no stress, no darkness.

"You've been here for two weeks now," Pegasus said. His hands were folded under his chin, propping up his head. Moonlight framed his silhouette, the window behind him revealing a dark sky. Yugi had only gotten up an hour ago, but he was feeling so tired lately that his sleep seemed to stretch longer and longer each day.

_Two weeks… _Yugi thought. That was more time than he would have guessed. Wasn't there something about weeks that he was supposed to be remembering?

"You like it here – don't you?" Pegasus said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Oh yes," Yugi said, bobbing his head up and down. Memories before coming to the castle were a jumbled clump in his mind but, that didn't matter to Yugi. Pegasus had saved Yugi from the sadness and darkness when he'd taken him in, and he would never have to worry about the past again.

"Excellent," Pegasus said. He unfolded from behind his desk, joining Yugi on the other side and pulling a chair close. His knees brushed Yugi's leg as he sat, stroking his fingers down the side of Yugi's face.

Yugi closed his eyes. Lately, Pegasus was always touching his face and hands whenever they were together. Yugi wasn't sure how to feel about the caresses. He liked Pegasus but, every time he tried to relax into his touch, a feeling of guilt rose in his throat, freezing the air in his lungs.

"Yugi," Pegasus said, his voice soft. His fingers trailed down Yugi's chin. "Did you drink your tea this morning?"

"Of course," Yugi said. There was only one rule at the castle – drink your tea every morning. Yugi thought it was a silly rule but, Pegasus had been really upset and, Yugi had gotten a horrible headache and started to feel sad and scared the last time he'd forgotten. He shivered. He never wanted to feel that way again, and now the girl who brought his tea always made sure he remembered to drink.

"Good boy," Pegasus said. His fingers cupped Yugi's chin, and Yugi opened his eyes.

The older man leaned closer to him, his face inches from Yugi. Regret bloomed in Yugi's chest for some reason, building as Pegasus' lips pressed against his, warm and firm. Yugi closed his eyes again, trying to relax as Pegasus' tongue touched his bottom lip.

Pegasus had never kissed him before, and Yugi's hands shook as the older man gripped his shoulders. He smelled like cinnamon, the sweet spice sparking something in Yugi's mind.

The last person Yugi had kissed had smelled different, richer, a musky scent like…sandalwood. His mind stuttered as he remembered a flash of someone holding him, the smell of sandalwood filling Yugi's nose as he tucked his face into the boy's neck. He always felt so safe in his arms…

The pressure in Yugi's mind returned, and his thoughts floated away. No one mattered but Pegasus. Pegasus made him happy. He loved Illusion Island. The older man's fingers skimmed the Millennium Puzzle hanging around Yugi's neck.

Pegasus was obsessed with millennium items. He had told Yugi all about them once but, Yugi had forgotten most of what he had said. He seemed to be forgetting a lot of things lately.

When Pegasus parted from him, Yugi flopped back in his chair. He got tired so quickly anymore. His lips were still warm from the kiss, but as he touched his fingers against his mouth, he suddenly felt sad.

Tears pricked at his eyes, a hollowness splintering deep inside of him, the shards slicing under his skin. Why did he feel guilty? He liked Pegasus. The older man was so nice to him, and he had brought him to this wonderful place. Pegasus made him happy. He loved Illusion Island. No one mattered but Pegasus.

"I feel sad," Yugi said. Lately, there didn't seem to be any filter on his mouth.

Pegasus touched his knee, and the sadness seemed to increase triple fold. Yugi's chest ached. The pressure was back in his head, uncurling Yugi's tight grip on his anxiety. Yugi was meant to be here. This was his home. Pegasus made him happy. He loved Illusion Island…

"Let me send for some tea," Pegasus said. "It'll make you feel better."

Yugi nodded. Tea made everything better.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

><p>Yami was furious.<p>

He slammed his hand down on Seto's desk, glaring at his cousin. They were in Seto's office, the sparsely furnished monochrome room an exact replica to Yami's located down the hall. Seto folded his hands in front of him, watching Yami as if waiting for a toddler to tire himself out during a tantrum.

"I will not leave Yugi at Pegasus mercy for another two weeks," Yami said. He knocked Seto's nameplate off of his desk as he straightened, and it crashed to the floor. It did nothing to quell the anger pounding through him.

Seto frowned, looking at the empty spot on his desk.

It had been fourteen days since Yugi had been taken by Pegasus and, Yami's attempts to convince Seto to expedite his rescue had gotten him nowhere. Yugi was trapped in the hands of a psychotic billionaire and, Yami was helpless to do anything to help him until they could draw Pegasus off the island.

Illusion Island was a fortress and getting there without detection would be an act of god on its own. Worse, recovering Yugi while Pegasus was on the premise would be a suicide mission, the older man having had decades to hone his powers into the controlled weapon that could rip away a soul without blinking.

"This is cowardice!" Yami said. "We have waited and cowered for two weeks now, and I will not do so any longer."

"Sit down," Seto said. His voice was an icy slap across Yami's conscious.

Yami's spine was rigid as he sank back into his seat, trying to quell the shadows that raged in his mind. It was becoming almost impossible to control the darkness thrashing inside of him anymore.

"Get a hold of yourself," Seto said.

A snarl built in Yami's throat. "I will not allow any more time to pass as Pegasus continues his attempts to destroy my bond with Yugi."

"This is the only option," Seto said. "You're too weak to fight Pegasus and trying to rescue Yugi while Pegasus is on the island would be a waste of life and resources."

Yami took a deep breath. The shadows had grown so close to the surface, and the darkness was starting to cloud his judgment, turning him into someone even he couldn't recognize.

Seto pinned him with a stare before going back to the papers spread across his desk. "Call Mariku," he said.

"What?" Yami said. He hadn't seen the yami of the Rod since their encounter with Ryuji in the lunch shop several weeks ago.

"He's agreed to help you control your magic until Yugi returns," Seto said. He scrawled something across a piece of paper, adding it to a growing stack. He sat back in his chair, pinning Yami with a stare. "You're useless until you can control yourself."

The rage resurfaced, punching through Yami's gut as he watched his cousin across the desk. He was so tired of fighting the shadows inside of him. Exhaustion had become a constant weight on his mind ever since Yugi's disappearance, his sleep riddled with nightmares of his hikari in Pegasus' hands. He couldn't sleep. He couldn't eat. He couldn't breathe without Yugi with him.

"Fine," Yami gritted out. He forced himself out of his chair. He slammed out of Seto's office, ignoring the startled look from their secretary as he moved towards the stairwell.

The stairway was silent as the door clanged shut behind him, and Yami sank onto the top step. He knew he was acting unreasonable, crazy even, but every sane, civil thought in his mind seemed to have fled the day that Yugi had disappeared. Yugi had trusted him to protect him, and now he was in the hands of Pegasus and, there had been barely a word about his wellbeing. Seto had been getting intelligence on Illusion Island long before Yugi was taken, but the only information that they had obtained in the past two weeks was that Yugi was alive but drugged into insensibility.

Yami rubbed his eyes. The days without Yugi had been passing with excruciating slowness, each hour a form of torture as the shadows demanded to be set free. The emptiness had begun to consume him, a hollowness echoing in his chest.

His cellphone buzzed in his pocket, and Yami checked the call – Mariku.

"What?" he answered. He didn't want to talk to yami of the Rod. He didn't want to talk to Seto, Jou, or his mother. He didn't want to talk to anyone except for his hikari.

"Your cousin is a pain in the ass," Mariku said.

Yami considered hanging up.

"Just get over to my apartment now," Mariku said.

"I don't have time – " Yami said.

"Now," Mariku growled. The phone went dead.

Yami jammed the phone back in his pocket, shaking his head. He reached out for Yugi with his mind, searching for his hikari, yielding the same hazy cloud that had been blocking their bond for two week now. Frustrated, he got to his feet, determined to get whatever torture Seto had arranged for him over with.

* * *

><p>Yami's mood had darkened by the time he got to Mariku's door.<p>

The apartment was a walkup on the east side of the city, a burgeoning neighborhood packed with young professionals and hip middle aged couples toting burlap bags and fresh cut flowers. Yami knocked on the door, the locks clicking and a chain sliding before revealing the hikari of the Millennium Rod.

"Pharaoh, hello!" Malik said, bowing deep. "Please, come in." He gave Yami a small smile as he ushered him inside. "I'm sorry about your hikari – Yugi, right? Isis told me a little about him."

Yami nodded and, Malik refastened the locks behind him, leading Yami into the living room where Mariku was sprawled on the sofa with a book. The yami of the Rod watched Yami as he entered the room, a small cluttered space illuminated by the afternoon sun streaming through the window.

"You look like shit," Mariku said.

"Mariku!" Malik said. He crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at his yami. Malik was slender with high cheekbones and a mid-length shirt that revealed a strip of tan skin above his jeans. He was easily dwarfed by his broad shouldered partner as Mariku got to his feet, crossing the room to stand next to him.

Mariku shrugged, tossing his book on the table. "The Pharaoh and I agreed a long time ago not to lie to each other."

Malik shook his head, turning to Yami. "Can I get you something to drink or eat?"

Yami shook his head.

"Please, sit then," Malik said. He took a seat on the couch, and his yami flopped back down beside him. Malik leaned into the older boy, their shoulders touching, and Yami's chest clenched.

"You need to get your shit together, Pharaoh," Mariku said as Yami took the remaining chair.

Malik elbowed Mariku in the side. "The priest has asked us to help you manage your magic until Yugi can be recovered," Malik said. He fiddled with one of his gold earrings. "It has to be getting difficult to control the shadows after such an extended separation from your hikari. We would like to assist you. You have always extended the same courtesy to us."

The last time Yami had seen Malik was when he helped Mariku rescue him from Pegasus' men over a year ago. Malik had been bruised and bleeding by the time they got to him, having fought Pegasus' men tooth and nail before being they had managed to restrain him. Yami and Mariku had freed him at the last possible second, Pegasus men having been dragging him to the helicopter to take him to Illusion Island before they rescued him.

"You are destined to save the world," Malik continued, "and Isis and I both believe that you are the only one who has the power to stop Pegasus. He has grown strong, too strong, and his quest to destroy the bond between the remaining hikaris and yamis reveals that the balance between the halves of his soul has been lost. Whatever light was there, has been snuffed out. His hunger for power has led him to the shadows."

"Who is his yami?" Yami said.

Malik shook his head. "Even with our time in the tombs, neither I nor my siblings knew the lineage of the yami of the Millennium Eye."

Yami sat back in his chair, staring out the window across from him.

"Enough talk," Mariku said. "Let's go." He stood from his chair and turned to his hikari. "We're going up to the roof."

Yami followed Mariku back out the apartment door, the pair silent as they ascended several flights of stairs. When they reached the top, Mariku shouldered open the door to the roof, stepping out onto the stretch of concrete. Yami shaded his eyes from the late spring sun as he followed.

The roof was devoid of any safety barriers, the edge plunging ten stories to the street below. Mariku stalked a few feet away, stopping and turning to face Yami.

"Try to break into my mind," Mariku said.

Yami frowned.

"Just do it," Mariku growled.

Yami focused his energy, reaching for the shadows that clamored for this touch. The power flooded through him, his fingertips tingling and the breath freezing in his lungs as he gathered the magic inside of him. The darkness became a raging force as he opened the barriers of his mind, allowing the shadows free reign.

"Concentrate," Mariku said. He was scowling. "You're letting the magic control you."

Yami took a breath, trying to channel the energy. It was too much to control. He could feel his focus slipping away as the darkness chanted inside of him, scrambling his thoughts.

"Go ahead, Pharaoh," Mariku said. "Let's see what you got." He braced his legs, his hair and clothes whipping around him though the air on the roof remained still.

Yami was so angry. He needed Yugi. He needed to save him. He needed to do anything but wait, wait another two weeks when Pegasus could be hurting him, destroying his mind. The magic whipped inside of him, feeding on his pain. He wanted his hikari.

The energy exploded from him, clamoring for Mariku's soul, his mind, anything. The yami of the Rod barely flinched, casting aside the magic with a roll of his shoulders. Yami's legs shook beneath him. The release of energy had drained him, knocking the strength from his limbs.

"My turn," Mariku said.

Yami felt a pressure in his mind, and he forced the shadows to shield him. Mariku's energy was relentless, ramming into Yami's defenses with a focused fist that shattered through the barrier surrounding Yami's mind in a matter of minutes. Mariku had beaten him. It would only take a small flex of his power to destroy Yami's mind.

The roof door swung open. "Enough!" Malik said, sounding breathless.

Yami realized he had dropped to the ground, his knees cold against the concrete as Mariku's presence disappeared from his mind. Yami straightened, dizzy as he got to his feet.

Malik steadied him as he wobbled. The hikari of the Rod was watching him, his hand on his shoulder. "Are you feeling better, Pharaoh?"

Yami's legs were shaky beneath him and, he felt like someone had jammed a spike into his head but surprisingly, he did feel better. The shadows had quieted, their energy expended, and his mood had stabilized in their absence. He felt calmer than he had in weeks.

Mariku joined them, a smirk on his face as wrapped his arm around his hikari.

"I could feel your magic all the way downstairs," Malik said, frowning as Mariku pulled him back against his chest. "I told you to challenge him not try to kill him."

"We were having fun," Mariku said.

Malik sighed, turning to Yami. "I ordered some food for lunch," he said. "I was hoping you would eat with us, Pharaoh."

Yami nodded. He was suddenly starving, his stomach rumbling with an appetite that he hadn't felt for many weeks.

"And, you will return again tomorrow?" Malik said.

"Tomorrow?" Yami said.

"The priest has asked that you return every day to strengthen your control over your magic," Malik said. "Did he not tell you?"

Yami sighed.

"I hope that you can manage to be some sort of challenge tomorrow," Mariku said, cracking his knuckles. "I always thought the Pharaoh would have more bite than a puppy – "

"Your powers are already strong," Malik said to Yami. "Mariku has had three years to hone his magic. You only met your hikari a few months ago. It will take practice before you can challenge Pegasus but for now, Mariku will be a good test of your strength."

Yami followed the pair back to the stairs. He had two weeks until he could rescue his hikari, another excruciating amount of time until the plan was in place, and Malik was right. Yami was going to have to practice sharpening his magic until he was strong enough to take on Pegasus. He would return tomorrow and every day until it was time to rescue his hikari, and once Yugi was home and safe, Yami would kill Pegasus Crawford.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

><p>Yugi felt empty.<p>

He stared out the window of the library, knees gathered to his chest as he watched the ocean sparkle in the distance. His chest was aching worse than ever and, he rubbed the skin over his sternum, hoping to ease the hollow feeling that seemed to be ratcheting in intensity lately.

The library was silent other than the air rattling through the vents. Yugi was curled up on the sofa, blanket tucked around him, and hidden from view by one of the bookcases. It was Yugi's favorite room in the entire castle, the smell of the aged books a comfort as he lazed against the cushions, the high ceilings arching above him.

Towards the door, a portrait of Pegasus' late wife hung, a beautiful woman with blonde ringlets and creamy pale skin. The photograph always gave Yugi the heebie-jeebies as if when he turned his back, those blue eyes were keeping watch on him.

Yugi was dozing when he heard the door creak open, the sound of footsteps echoing through the room. He cracked open an eye, finding Pegasus making his way towards him.

"Hi," Yugi said. His voice was groggy, but he forced himself to sit straight.

"I was wondering where you had gotten to," Pegasus said. He was wearing a linen shirt and slacks, looking strangely informal in anything other than the suits that seemed to comprise his entire wardrobe.

"I thought you would be working today," Yugi said. Pegasus spent most days in his study, running his business. Yugi didn't know much about what the company did but, he figured it must pretty important considering Pegasus owned an entire island. Yugi rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up but, the grogginess seemed to trail him even in his waking hours.

"We need to talk about a few things," Pegasus said, "in particular, why you are here." The older man sat next to him, and Yugi let him take his hand, his fingers cool against Yugi's.

"Did I do something wrong?" Yugi said. Terror bloomed in his chest. He hoped he hadn't accidently offended Pegasus or made him mad. He loved Illusion Island. He never wanted to leave. A familiar pressure pushed against Yugi's mind, easing the fear, but his muscles remained tight as he waited for the older man to continue.

"No, no – Yugi-boy. I've been keeping a secret from you," Pegasus said.

"What is it?" Yugi said.

"We've discussed the Millennium Items," Pegasus said. "But, I haven't quite explained your role in their magic."

"What do you mean?" Yugi said.

"Without you, the magic of the Millennium Puzzle is inaccessible," Pegasus said.

Yugi frowned, trying to comprehend the older man's words.

"You are the hikari of the Millennium Puzzle, the lighter half of the shadows within it, and I am your yami, the one who is destined to control that power," Pegasus said.

"No, you aren't."

It took Yugi a second to realize the words had come from him, and he clasped his hand over his mouth. His entire body wanted to reject the older man's statement. Everything about it seemed wrong, so wrong. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I said that."

Pegasus gripped his chin, eyes narrowed as he turned Yugi to face him. "Have you been drinking your tea, Yugi-boy?"

"Of course!" Yugi said.

Pegasus searched his eyes. "I would like you to start drinking a cup in the evening as well," he said, releasing him. "You look unwell."

Yugi nodded. "I've been feeling kinda bad lately."

"Tell me," Pegasus said.

"I've been having this pain here," Yugi said, putting his hand on his chest. "It feels like someone is sawing me in half."

"Ah," Pegasus said, nodding. "I know exactly the cause."

Yugi leaned forward. Of course Pegasus would know the answer. He knew everything. Yugi didn't know why he hadn't gone to him sooner.

"Your body is pushing you to complete the bond between us," Pegasus said.

"What kind of bond?" Yugi said.

"A mental link between our souls," Pegasus said. "That is the way of yamis and hikaris, and it is long past time that we forge our own connection."

Yugi's stomach twisted. "How do we do that?"

Pegasus trailed his fingers down the side of Yugi's face. "You will come to my bed tonight."

Yugi's blood chilled. He stared at Pegasus' uncovered eye, hoping that the feeling would pass. He loved Pegasus but, every time the older man talked about moving forward, Yugi felt nauseous with grief.

"I am not ready," Yugi said. He bowed his head. "I'm sorry."

Pegasus released his hand with a loud exhale. The lines of his body were taut, eyes hard as he turned to him.

"You have disappointed me," Pegasus said.

Shame filled Yugi, the feeling settling in his stomach like a heavy weight. Tears stung at his eyes. He had let down his protector, his savior. He was a horrible person, a despicable human being.

Pegasus got up from the sofa, his footsteps fading as the door slammed closed behind him.

Yugi closed his eyes. The shame was eating away inside of him, wild and rampant as his entire body drooped. He didn't know why he couldn't just get over whatever was holding him back. He loved Pegasus, so what was the problem?

The ache still throbbed in chest. Yugi yanked the blanket around him, leaning back against the cushions. Would the pain really go away if he did as Pegasus asked?

The door creaked open, and Yugi sat up, hoping Pegasus had returned but, it was only a servant bringing him a cup of tea. Yugi took the saucer from the girl and tipped the liquid down his throat without a second thought.

* * *

><p>Pegasus was in a much better mood at dinner.<p>

They were sitting cattycorner from each other at the dining room table, the windows open to the fading sunset and early stars sprinkling the sky. Hanging above them, the crystal tears of the chandelier chimed softly as the night breeze floated in, bringing with it the fresh sea air.

Yugi could barely keep his eyes open as he pushed the food around on his plate. He couldn't remember the last time that he had been hungry enough to finish more than a quarter of whatever was set in front of him.

"I will be attending a dueling competition next week," Pegasus said. He took a sip of his wine. He always had a glass with dinner, and every time Yugi watched him drink he had the strangest sense of deja-vu.

"You're leaving?" Yugi said, his heart picking up in speed. He couldn't remember Pegasus ever leaving the island. He was always right there when Yugi needed him.

"Only for a day," Pegasus said. "It is very important that I attend."

"Can I come with you?" Yugi said. He didn't want to leave the island, but it seemed unbearable to be in the castle without Pegasus.

"No, no," Pegasus said. "You will be much safer here, and one of the men I will be dueling is very dangerous, much too dangerous for you to be around."

"Who?" Yugi said.

"His name is Yami Atemu," Pegasus said. "He has always been a threat but, he has become much more unstable ever since he lost his hikari."

Yugi stared down at his plate. That name seemed so familiar. Yugi tried to grasp the thread in his mind but the fog was too dense, and the thought faded before he could tug it to the surface.

"How did he lose his hikari?" Yugi said.

Pegasus waved his hand. "That's not important," he said. "What's important is that you remember that he is dangerous and not to be trusted. He would only confuse your mind if he ever got a hold of you. I want you to promise that if you ever see him, you will run and get back to me as fast as you can."

"Of course," Yugi said, confused. "I promise." Why would he want to stay with someone who was obviously so unstable?

"Good boy," Pegasus said, returning to his meal.

Yugi relaxed in his chair. Pegasus didn't seem mad anymore about their earlier discussion. Yugi forced down another bite of food.

"However, I do expect that you will be _ready_ by the time I return next week," Pegasus said.

Yugi tensed in his chair. Pegasus pinned him with a stare. It wasn't a request. Yugi forced himself to nod, sitting his fork down next to his plate. He had only taken three bites but, the idea of putting anything else in his stomach made him gag.

"Excellent," Pegasus said. "I will defeat Yami Atemu, and then we can finally begin to forge the connection that was meant to be between us."

Yugi excused himself from the table after a moment, his footsteps steady as he left the dining room before tripping down the hall. He barely made it to the bathroom before he lost the contents of his stomach, dry heaving as he tried to get himself under control.

The room was spinning as he stood. He washed out his mouth with water, trying to steady his shaking hands. _You're acting ridiculous,_ Yugi told himself. _You love Pegasus and, when you love someone you do what they ask._

Yugi steadied himself on the sink, nausea twisting through him with such a force that he leaned over the marble, balancing his elbows on the sink. The slick surface grounded him, a cold relief against his flushed skin.

He closed his eyes. If he focused just right, he could sense a tiny niche carved out in his mind. It was hidden in a hazy cloud, and no matter how much he pushed, the haze was impenetrable. Yugi didn't know why even bothered to return to it over and over again.

He'd never mentioned it to Pegasus, and part of him wanted to keep the niche a secret. It reminded Yugi of something, a different time, a different place and part of him couldn't help but wonder what or who was on the other side.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **I'm thinking the time has come to reunite our pair. ;) Next chapter on Thursday.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

><p>Yugi was having a strange dream.<p>

He curled in his bed, a four poster monstrosity that was big enough to hold four, dwarfing him in a mound of blankets and pillows. In his dream, someone was holding him, his body warm and hands gentle. He tried to make out the boy's face but, it was cast in shadows. Yugi had his head tucked against the boy's chest, his body boneless in his hold and the Millennium Puzzle pressed between them. It felt natural, right. The boy's fingers left a trail of sparks as they skimmed down Yugi's spine, making his stomach clench with butterflies.

"_Yugi," _the boy said. There was something about his voice that made Yugi feel safe, protected. The older boy's hands tilted his head back, and his lips pressed against Yugi's.

Electricity burned down Yugi's body. Their mouths fused together, and suddenly Yugi felt _hungry_, starving for the older boy. Emotions rushed into him so fast that it felt like his mind might break in half from the sensation. He knew this man, needed him, craved him. If only he could see his face, maybe he could remember… The boy pulled back, and Yugi tried to hold onto the thought. It was right there, right on the tip of his tongue.

"_I'm coming for you," _the boy said. He pushed Yugi's bangs back from his face, and Yugi could have sworn he saw a flash of crimson eyes.

Yugi gasped awake. The gauzy canopy of his bed ruffled in the early summer breeze, carrying with it the smell of the freesias blooming in his window box. His chest ached as he sat up, and his head pounded with the beginnings of a migraine. It was early morning, the sky colored with the beginnings of sunrise. Yugi called for his tea.

He'd been in the castle for a while now, enough time for the air to turn sticky with heat and vents to rattle with cool relief. Tea girl delivered his tea as he waited in bed, and Yugi smiled at her, her gold eyes watching him. She had told him her name more than once, but Yugi just couldn't remember what it was.

He sipped the bitter liquid, his headache easing almost instantly. Like always, tea girl left as soon as he took the first sip. The sun crested and, Yugi slipped out of bed, wondering to the window to watch. He hadn't been awake for sunrise in a long time. He watched for a few minutes, the colors building to crescendo as the sun bid the island a good morning.

Yugi finished his tea, setting the empty cup on his nightstand. His headache had eased, but the ache continued to drum under his breastbone. Yugi cupped the puzzle hanging around his neck. The cold metal always seemed to comfort him.

Pegasus had left in the morning for the dueling competition he was attending, and when he returned, he expected Yugi to come to him without question. Pegasus had told him he was in pain the longer Yugi denied their bond, and Yugi felt horrible for causing the older man grief. No matter how reluctant he felt, he would do what he had to do.

Yugi dressed for the day. Pegasus had told him that he would be back by nightfall and to stay within Croquet's sight until he returned. As Yugi stepped out into the hallway, he nearly ran into his escort.

"Good morning, Mr. Mutou," Croquet said. Yugi's reflection met him as he looked up at Croquet. He stared at his distorted image. Pegasus didn't keep any mirrors in the castle, and the only time Yugi caught a glimpse of himself was in the shiny plastic of Croquet's glasses.

"Hi," Yugi said. Croquet didn't say much, but Pegasus had told him that he had been the one to bring Yugi to the island. Yugi was nothing but grateful. He'd asked Croquet more than once where he'd found Yugi but, he had always been tightlipped about any parts of Yugi's past.

"Breakfast is prepared downstairs," Croquet said.

Yugi shook his head. His clothes were falling off of him anymore, but whenever the food was set in front of him, his body gagged. Sleep seemed so much easier than eating.

"I want to go outside," Yugi said.

Croquet shook his head. "Not today."

Yugi was confused. He'd never not been allowed to go outside before. "Why?"

"Mr. Crawford requests that you stay inside while he is away," Croquet said.

"Okay," Yugi agreed. If Pegasus had requested it, then he would follow his orders. "Can we walk a little bit inside then?" He seemed to have much more energy than normal.

Croquet gestured him forward and, Yugi marched ahead. It had been so long since he'd wanted to explore, usually all he wanted was hover in the blissful state of dreamland, cocooned in his bed. He wound through the maze of halls of the castle, tiring after an hour or so, and making his way to the library.

He curled up on the sofa, dozing as Croquet stood watch near the door. Yugi didn't know why Pegasus had insisted on leaving him with a guard. It wasn't as if someone could just walk up to the castle, and Pegasus didn't permit unannounced visitors to even approach the island.

His stomach was nervous about Pegasus return. The older man had reminded him over and over that he expected Yugi to join him to complete their bond when he got home, freeing the power of the puzzle at last. Yugi took a deep breath, trying to calm down, his mind quieting as sleep claimed him.

It was a few hours later when Yugi blinked back to consciousness, the late morning sun shining through the windows. His head was pounding but, his thoughts didn't feel as fuzzy as they normally did. Yugi got to his feet, intent on trying to wake up. He felt strange, part of him urging him to get up and move.

He wondered the halls some more, his feet clumsy as Croquet followed behind him. The path seemed random to Yugi but, for some reason he couldn't bring himself to stop. He was looking for something, something important. He picked up speed, desperate to get closer to whatever it was, his mind urging him to hurry. He was so close…He neared the last corner, a loud thud and a murmur of voices coming from just beyond the bend.

Croquet grabbed Yugi's shoulder, holding him back.

"Is something wrong?" Yugi said, annoyed at being so close to whatever it was that he was so desperate to get to.

Croquet reached into his jacket, pulling out his gun. "Stay here."

Yugi froze in place, watching as Croquet peered around into the hallway. Croquet moved to raise his gun and then jerked suddenly, crumpling to the floor. Yugi rushed to his side, kneeling beside him. He was unhurt but unconscious.

The hallway had fallen silent. Yugi looked up and found two men standing there, a member of Pegasus staff unconscious at their feet. The first of the pair was broad shouldered, with a head of spiked silver hair and sharp features, but as Yugi turned to the other boy, his headache returned full force. The boy was tan, tri-colored hair spurting up at wild angles and his crimson eyes watching Yugi with intense focus.

Yugi felt like someone was cracking a brick on the back of his head. There was something about these men, something familiar. Blinding pain burned through his mind. Yugi slumped forward, resting his forehead on the floor.

"Yugi!" one of the men said. Footsteps rushed to his side.

Yugi forced himself to move despite the agony blooming behind his eyelids and scrambled backwards. He couldn't let this man touch him. He had to run, scream, anything.

"Stay back!" Yugi said. His heart was racing, sweat breaking out on his forehead. He needed to get away from this man. His heart felt like it was about to burst from his chest just looking at him.

The man stopped a few feet away. "It's alright," he said, holding out his hands. "We're not going to hurt you."

"You hurt Croquet!" Yugi said. The ache in his chest felt like it might crack him in half with the force of the pressure. Emptiness poured into him revealing a hole, gaping deep inside of him. It was an old wound, a cavernous one. How had he not noticed how deep it was before?

"He's only unconscious," the man said. His eyes found Yugi's, and Yugi's stomach fluttered, butterflies hitting him hard. The realization hit him like a load of bricks – it was the man from his dream.

"I want you to leave," Yugi said. He struggled to his feet. All of his extra energy seemed to have dried up, his legs trembling beneath him as he stood.

"My name is Yami – Yami Atemu," the man said. "I want to help you, Yugi."

Yugi froze. Pegasus had said he that he was going to duel Yami Atemu at the competition today. It was a trap. The whole thing had been a trick to draw Pegasus away and break into the castle. Yami Atemu was here for him.

"I know who you are, and I don't need your help," Yugi said. "I'm exactly where I want to be. I love Pegasus, and there's nothing you can do to change that!"

"You need to come with us. We won't hurt you," Yami said. His crimson eyes were holding him captive, muddling his already broken thoughts. "I would never hurt you. I love you and, you are not safe here. Please, come with me."

Yugi couldn't think.

Yami took a step closer, and Yugi moved back.

"He said you would lie to me!" Yugi said.

"We don't have time for this," Yami's partner said.

Yami studied Yugi. He seemed sad as he nodded. His partner moved forward, and Yugi turned and sprinted down the hall. He pumped his arms and legs as fast as he could but, it had been so long since he'd moved faster than a walk. Fatigue weighed him down the floor. It was a matter of seconds before the Yami's partner caught him, hands clamping around his arms.

"No!" Yugi screamed. Tears were choking in his throat. "You can't – I don't want to go!" Hands clamped around his wrists, and the man secured them with a zip-tie. Yugi thrashed as the man attempted to tug him forward. "PEGASUS!"

Yugi's feet were clumsy underneath of him, and he quickly lost his balance. The man used his momentum to throw Yugi over his shoulder. Yugi sagged as the man started to walk. He was exhausted, his chest heaving to regain breath. He couldn't give up. He couldn't let them take him.

His tears fell on the floor as the man walked.

"I don't want to go!" Yugi said. He tried to kick his feet but, they were dead weight. His body wasn't listening to him anymore.

Both men were silent.

"This isn't fair!" Yugi said. "Please – stop!" Sobs wracked through his frame, lungs straining to get enough air. He continued to cry as they maneuvered through the castle. They were venturing further than Yugi usually explored, and he caught a glimpse of three of Pegasus' staff lying on the floor, unconscious, as they entered the kitchens.

They exited the castle a few seconds later, through a side entrance Yugi didn't know existed. The fresh air was a slap against his skin. He couldn't breathe. The air was choked up in his lungs. Maybe, he would die like this, hyperventilating over a stranger's shoulder.

"Yugi!" Yami said. "Stop, Mariku."

The man, Mariku, stopped. Yugi felt hands touch his back, and he tried to flinch away. He sucked down a breath. "Don't touch me!" Yugi said. "PEGASUS!"

Suddenly, a warm fog filled him. Yugi blinked. The fog was a dark smoke, consuming him, filling every part of him until all he felt was calm. He sagged forward, his entire body tired as his breathing steadied. The edges of his vision dimmed, unconsciousness luring him into its depths. Yugi felt someone stroking his hair. A warm aura brushed against his mind, and Yugi couldn't help but sigh. It felt nice, safe, familiar – like coming home after a long day.

Mariku started walking again but, the hands stayed pressed against his back. The fog continued to fill him, and Yugi closed his eyes. The ache eased in his chest and, the longer the hands were on him, the more his muscles loosened. Yugi tried to say something but, his voice seemed to have disappeared.

It was a matter of seconds before his vision went dark.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

><p>Yugi had never been in so much pain.<p>

He flinched as another wave of agony yanked him down, knocking the air from his lungs as he struggled to resurface. Every single part of him hurt. He twisted his fingers in the sheets, trying to relax his rigid muscles with a few deep breaths. He didn't know where he was. Prying his eyelids open, he studied the grey walls that surrounded him. The bedroom was empty other than a few pieces of furniture. Across the way, the door stood open and, a low murmur of a voice carried down the hall.

His shirt was damp with sweat, but he trembled with chills. Fear twisted in his stomach. He wasn't in the castle anymore. His head throbbed, and he took another deep breath. The smell of lavender detergent filled his nose, jolting something loose in Yugi's mind. He'd been here before.

The voice quieted and footsteps approached the room. Yugi forced himself to sit up. It took an exhausting amount of energy to maneuver himself into a seated position. He propped himself up against the headboard, ignoring the nausea turning in his stomach.

Yami stood in the doorway, holding a glass of water and a sleeve of crackers. He froze, as if he hadn't expected to find Yugi awake. He searched Yugi's face as if waiting for a reaction, but he frowned when Yugi remained still. The headache slammed into Yugi as Yami moved into the room. Yugi squeezed his eyes closed, muscles clenching tight. It felt like someone was sawing his skull in half.

"Yugi?" Yami said.

Yugi glanced over. Yami had crouched next to the bed, the water and crackers on the end table, eyes watching Yugi with intensity that made his stomach flutter.

"I can help you," Yami said. He reached out, and Yugi leaned away.

"Please, don't," Yugi said.

Yami sighed. "I don't wish to see you in pain."

"You did this to me!" Yugi said. Anger roared through him, an emotion that he hadn't realized he knew anymore. It was sudden and sharp, a vivid reminder that he wasn't with Pegasus anymore. Outside of the castle walls, pain was real. "I told you I didn't want to go!"

"I could not leave you there," Yami said.

The anger shuffled to sadness. Tears pooled in Yugi's eyes and, he bit his lip. He would not cry – not in front of Yami Atemu, the man who had stolen him from his home, from Pegasus. A sob wracked through him, and Yugi hunched forward. His chest hurt so badly. Hot trails of tears made their way down his cheeks.

"Yugi," Yami said, voice quiet, soft.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," Yugi said. The emotions were cycling through him at warp speed – anger, sadness, loneliness, rage, and fear clicked through him like someone surfing channels on television.

"You've been being drugged for more than a month," Yami said. "You're experiencing withdrawal symptoms."

"You're lying," Yugi said. Pegasus, he needed Pegasus. Pegasus would stop the pain. "Just go away," Yugi said. Just being in the same room with the older boy was excruciating, intensifying his headache as his brain struggled to place Yami in his memories. Yugi knew Yami Atemu, and even though his memories were nothing but a murky blob in his brain, there was something about the older boy that seemed to resonate somewhere deep within him.

"I just want to help you," Yami said.

The tears were hot as they collected at Yugi's chin. "I don't believe you."

Yami was quiet, and Yugi chanced a glance in the older boy's direction. Yami was rubbing his eyes, sighing into his hands before he met Yugi's gaze. His hair was in disarray, the tri-color spikes mussed as if he'd run his hand through them too many times. It jostled something in Yugi's mind, a memory of Yami asleep in bed, his arm thrown over his eyes, and his hair in a tangled mess. He never looked more peaceful then he did when he was asleep.

Yugi froze at the memory. _Where did that come from?_

He startled as Yami touched his hand. The older boy's palm was warm under his, and even though every conscious thought demanded he pull away, Yugi didn't move. The fog, the same that had dragged him into unconscious outside the castle, flooded through him. He remembered this feeling. It was an old memory, one that had existed before the castle. The fog liquefied his anxiety, forcing his muscles to loosen, his mind quieting.

"How are you doing that?" Yugi said. He felt calmer, the merry-go-round of emotions slowing before coming to a stop all together.

Yami just watched him. "Are you in pain?"

His headache had eased when the fog had filled him, fading to a more manageable thrum in his skull. Yugi shook his head.

"Will you eat something?" Yami said. He hadn't let go of Yugi's hand.

"No," Yugi said. His stomach was still turning with nausea. "I'm tired." Fatigue was weighing down on him again, urging him to close his eyes and surrender back into dreamland.

"You must change before sleeping," Yami said. His tone booked no room for argument, and Yugi conceded that swapping out the sweat dampened clothes wasn't a bad idea.

"I don't have anything to wear," Yugi said.

Yami frowned. "I have clothes that should fit you."

The older boy released Yugi's hand, and his headache returned once more. Yami crossed the room, opening one of the drawers and returning with fresh pajamas and boxers, excusing himself so that Yugi could change. Yugi looked at a clothes and for some ridiculous reason, he could have sworn they were his.

_Impossible_, Yugi thought. All of his clothes were at the castle.

It took a bit of maneuvering to get his legs over the side of the bed and even then, it took another few minutes to get his damp clothes off and replace them with the clean pajamas. He laid back against the bed, and after a few moments, Yami reentered the room with fresh sheets.

Yugi refused the older boy's help getting out of the bed, forcing himself to his feet and crumpling into Yami's arms when his legs gave out a few seconds later. He ignored the flush burning up the back of his neck as Yami steadied him. Yami Atemu was dangerous. Pegasus had told him that more than once. He was not to be trusted. So, why did Yugi feel so safe in his arms?

The older boy helped him sit on the floor, and Yugi watched him make quick work of the bed. By the time a new set of sheets were situated, Yugi had started to doze against the dresser. Yami crouched in front of him, holding out the glass of water.

Yugi took the glass with clumsy fingers, letting Yami help him guide the cup to his lips. He met the older boy's eyes over the cup as he took a sip, realizing that he was parched. He drained the entire glass in a few gulps but refused the crackers Yami offered him again.

Yami helped him up and back into the bed, and Yugi was halfway to dreamland when he felt warm fingers brush his bangs back from his forehead. Yami pressed a kiss to his forehead, and Yugi couldn't help but sigh as the older boy trailed his fingers down his cheek. His mind felt clearer than it had in a long while as he closed his eyes and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

><p>Yami checked on Yugi every five minutes.<p>

It had taken him more than a month to execute the plan to pry his hikari out of Pegasus' grasp and now that Yugi was back home, Yami had to keep convincing himself it wasn't just a dream. He made another trip to the bedroom, making sure not to disturb Yugi's sleep as he poked his head in.

The younger boy was tangled up in the sheets, his face contorted in pain. Yami made his way to their bedside, sitting down on the mattress and taking Yugi's hand as he done several times for the past hour since the younger boy had fallen back into unconsciousness. He concentrated his energy to his hikari, and the tension smoothed from Yugi's face as his body continued to purge the drugs that had kept him sedated for so long.

Yami closed his eyes, reaching for his and Yugi's bond. He had become so used to the wall blocking them from each other that, he had almost forgotten the feel of his hikari's aura. His eyes nearly rolled up into his head as he felt his light's mind, muddled and weary, against his. Their bond was a thread, the tiniest of fibers, but it was still there, still alive.

Exhaustion weighed down on Yami as he held his light's hand. Yugi looked like hell, and if his initial reaction to him and Mariku had been any indication, Pegasus had been successful in influencing his thoughts. Yami wasn't sure how long it would take for the influence to wear off. It had been more than a day since Yugi had been removed from the castle but, his hikari was still showing symptoms of the drugs he'd been given for weeks now, the withdrawal process just beginning.

It would be a long recovery for his hikari and worse of all, Pegasus was still out there, a threat looming over them. Yami knew that he would come for Yugi again, furious that the younger boy had been stolen right from under him, but Yami would protect his hikari at all costs. He would not let Pegasus take him again.

Yami arranged the blankets around Yugi's shoulders. His hikari had lost enough weight since his kidnapping that his old pajamas billowed around his frame, drowning him in fabric. Yami didn't move from the bed, picking up Yugi's hand again and giving himself a minute to soak in the realization that his hikari was safe and back by his side.

Yugi was shaking in his sleep. Yami released his hand, walking to the other side of the bed and sliding next to his hikari. The drugs would most likely take a few days to purge from Yugi's body, and though his hikari's memories were still scrambled, his body seemed unable to forget his darker half. Yami curled around Yugi, and the shivers subsided as Yami concentrated his energy down their bond.

His hikari had slept the entire day after his rescue, never stirring as they made their way from the castle back to the mainland via submarine, the only transportation that wouldn't arouse the suspicions of the guards and guns surrounding the island. They'd drawn Pegasus to Tokyo for a dueling competition where Yami had been being advertised as a top contender for the weeks after Yugi's capture and, Pegasus was promised a chance to play the competition champion in a highly televised duel.

Pegasus rarely left the island, but when it came to tournaments, he had a soft-spot for the crowds that gathered to worship at his feet and with the added opportunity to destroy Yami in the process, they knew that he would come. Yami had played the tournament to the last round, disappearing the morning before the last match to rescue his hikari. The fallout would be tremendous but, Yami could care less as long as Yugi was safe.

In his arms, Yugi shuddered in his sleep, and Yami drew him closer, filling their shrunken bond with all the energy that he could. Yugi relaxed back against him with a sigh and, Yami brushed his fingers over the puzzle hanging around his hikari's neck. The power inside would be enough to destroy Pegasus and together, he and his hikari would eliminate the threat of the Millennium Eye and move forward until no one could threaten their bond.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **Thank you for all your reviews – especially to those of you who have been reviewing since _Light in the Dark_. You guys are awesome! I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

* * *

><p>Yugi felt okay.<p>

He blinked awake, staring at the dresser across from him. The room was dark, the bedside clock reading 3:47 am. He was relaxed as Yami lay behind him, their legs tangled together. The past two days had passed in a series of fever dreams, headaches, and nausea, and the only thing that had anchored him through the pain was Yami.

Yugi didn't know what it was about the older boy, but all it took was a single touch to bring him back to the surface. It was becoming harder and harder to hate him when all he had done was take care of him for the past few days.

Yugi closed his eyes again. It had been so long since his mind had been clear of the haze that it felt like every thought was moving at hyper speed, and he relaxed into the quiet, clear space. Out of habit, he reached out for the niche in his mind, finding it clear and accessible for the first time.

Focusing, he reached out for the spot, brushing against it, and, Yami startled awake.

Yugi frowned, wondering what had caused such a reaction from the older boy. "Sorry," he said, but he wasn't sure what for.

"It's okay," Yami said, his voice groggy. He shifted, drawing Yugi closer. "How do you feel?"

"Better," Yugi admitted. He should have felt awkward with Yami wrapped around him but, he couldn't ignore the feeling of calm that passed through him with the older boy behind him.

"Do you still wish to return to Pegasus?" Yami said.

Yugi was quiet. He was so confused. He couldn't seem to make up his mind when it came to Pegasus and as the haze began to clear, he wasn't sure if he wanted to return to Illusion Island. It felt like a betrayal. He loved Pegasus – didn't he?

"I don't know," Yugi said, twisting the comforter in his fingers.

"Would you like to discuss it?" Yami said.

"No – I mean – I don't know," Yugi said.

"Maybe, you could tell me about Pegasus?" Yami said. He shifted his arms around Yugi, pulling him closer. "How he made you feel?"

"Guilty," Yugi said. He was surprised by how easily the confession slipped out but continued. "Every time he touched me, I felt like I was doing something wrong."

"Maybe, you are in love with someone else," Yami said, his voice soft.

Yugi sighed. "Maybe."

"Your memories will return," Yami said. "It will take time."

Frustration filled Yugi. He hated feeling this way. His mind was struggling to connect dots that he knew should be obvious, and it annoyed him that he couldn't recall things that he knew that he should.

"You shouldn't have taken me from the castle," Yugi said.

"I could not leave you there," Yami said.

Yugi was quiet. There was a part of him, small but growing, that knew that Yami was right.

"Will you eat something?" Yami said.

Yugi was about to tell him no when he realized that he was hungry, starving actually. The feeling seemed so foreign. It had been weeks since he'd wanted to eat.

"Yeah, I think so," Yugi said.

Yami untangled himself from Yugi, flipping on his bedside lamp, and Yugi rolled over, watching the older boy stretch his arms out over his head. Yugi's face flushed as he sat up, blankets pooling around his waist.

"I also want to take a shower," Yugi said. He felt outrageous making demands from someone who had kidnapped him but, part of him balked at the idea of being scared of Yami.

"Of course," Yami said. "You will shower and, I will make something to eat."

Yugi got out of bed. His legs were shaky but held as he headed to the dresser. He pulled out several of the drawers, selecting clothes and then freezing, mind stuttering as he struggled to remember how he had known which drawers open and why the clothes looked so familiar. Yami's hand fell on his shoulder, and Yugi tried to shake off the lingering feeling of déjà vu.

"There are towels in the bathroom," Yami said.

Yugi nodded before the older boy disappeared down the hall. He gathered up the clothes and went to shower, locking the door behind him. Starting the water, he stripped off his clothes before catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He stopped, turning to examine the image.

It had been so long since he'd seen his full reflection, and the result was haunting. His skin was white, dark bags ringing his eyes, and his body all sharp angles. He looked like a ghost. He turned away, the image imprinted on his pupils.

He got in the shower and, another round of déjà vu assaulted him as he reached for familiar bath products. The whiff of peppermint undertones in the shampoo made his head spin as he tried to remember, the steam building around him.

By the time he was showered and dressed, Yugi felt more confused than ever. He wondered down the hallway, trying to place his memories. He hadn't gone farther than the bedroom and bathroom since he'd arrived, but his feet seemed to know exactly where to go.

He found Yami in the kitchen, pancakes bubbling in the pan, bringing with it the sweet smell of batter.

"Pancakes," Yugi said, his stomach grumbling.

Yami met his eyes. "They are your favorite."

Yugi frowned. "I've been here before, in this apartment, haven't I?

Yami looked away, flipping the pancakes to reveal golden tops. "Yes."

"More than once?"

"Yes."

"Did I live here?"

"Yes."

"With you?"

"Yes."

Yugi chewed on that for a few seconds, watching Yami transfer the pancakes to a plate. His legs were wobbly beneath him, muscles struggling to remember how to stay steady.

"Were we - a couple?" Yugi said, clutching the counter as Yami prepared the pan for another batch.

Yami looked over at him, the force of his gaze sending a jolt down Yugi's body that made his stomach clench.

"Don't answer that," Yugi said.

Yami gave him a small smile, handing him a plate of pancakes and directing him to the table a few feet away. Yugi flopped down into the chair, and Yami brought him syrup and a glass of milk, his hand lingering as it brushed against Yugi's.

Yugi started in on the pancakes, dousing them in syrup before taking his first bite. The spongy cake broke across his tongue with a sweetness that reminded him it had been several days since his last meal. He devoured the first stack in a matter of minutes, not even blinking as Yami brought him another plate, starting on it as the older boy took a seat across from him at the table.

The entire exchange felt eerily routine.

"Aren't you going to eat – " Yugi said, stopping as a realization hit him. "You don't eat breakfast."

Yami nodded.

"And you hate sweet stuff and most western food," Yugi said.

Yami nodded again.

Yugi pulled on the thread harder, trying to remember more, but his head started to hurt. He went back to the pancakes, finishing them and the milk in a few minutes. By the time he finished, his stomach was heavy with the meal, body satisfied as the calories churned through his system.

"Are you ever going to let me leave here?" Yugi said, watching Yami across the table.

"When you are in the sound mind to make such a decision," Yami said. "You are not a prisoner, Yugi."

"I'm fine," Yugi said.

Yami tilted his head as if that was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. "Your memories from more than a month ago remain severely limited."

"Pegasus told me not to trust you," Yugi said.

"Why do you think that is?" Yami said, studying him.

"Because you're dangerous," Yugi said.

"And, you believe that?" Yami said.

Yugi sighed. "I don't know."

"You were drugged for several weeks," Yami said. "It will take time to recover your strength and your memories."

"The tea," Yugi said, the realization hitting him. How had he missed it before? The fuzzy feeling only got worse after drinking the tea, and it was the only thing that would stave off the horrible headaches that came after a few hours between cups.

"The drugs clouded your mind to sedate you enough to keep you docile," Yami said.

Yugi stared at his empty plate, pancakes heavy in his stomach.

"While sedated, the drugs blocked us from one another," Yami continued, "which is why Pegasus used them on me on the train when he first took you. It guaranteed that our link would be blocked until he could drug you. Then, he used the power of his Millennium Eye to influence your thoughts, effects which will most likely linger."

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," Yugi said. His head was starting to hurt again, limbs heavy from the small exertion of energy of a shower and walk from the bedroom to the kitchen.

"We must talk about this, aibou," Yami said.

The nickname barreled into Yugi like a punch to the gut. Bits of memories rushed into him, and he struggled to emerge as the past threatened to drown him.

"You shouldn't call me that," Yugi said.

Yami got up from his chair, joining Yugi around the other side of the table and taking the chair beside him, scooting close.

"Yugi," Yami said. His hand brushed Yugi's chin, urging him to face him. "We _are_ partners. We have always been partners."

Yugi couldn't explain the tears dripping down his cheeks, but Yami brushed them away without question, coming closer until his knees were touching Yugi's leg.

"I know that you are confused," Yami said. "But, you are not alone, now or ever." His eyes caught Yugi's in a look that melted Yugi's thoughts like butter on a hot plate, hissing into nonexistence.

Yugi didn't know what possessed him to reach for Yami but, his hand rose without a thought. He was hesitant as he brushed his fingers down the older boy's cheek, trying to remember something, anything from before.

Yami didn't make a sound as Yugi dropped his hands back into his lap. Yami reached up, mirroring the touch, trailing his own fingers down Yugi's face. The caress was soft, careful, as if touching a butterfly, wary of wrinkling its wings.

Yugi leaned closer, the smell of sandalwood filling his nose as his fingers touched Yami's t-shirt. Yami's face was inches from his. Yugi sealed the distance.

The moment his lips touched Yami's, electricity exploded down Yugi's skin. His hands twined around Yami's neck, curving forward, desperate to press closer to the older boy. Their lips were fused together, and a shiver raced down Yugi's spine as Yami yanked him up and onto his lap.

Straddling the older boy's thighs, Yami's chest was warm as Yugi pressed against him, his tongue touching his. It felt so right. His entire body was thrumming, the heat of Yami's energy roaring through him with a power that rendered him pliant in the older boy's hold.

"Yugi," Yami said, breathless. He pulled back but, Yugi instinctively followed, cutting him off with another kiss.

Yugi's fingers plowed through Yami's hair, his fingers cupping the back of Yami's head as he pulled him closer. He needed to be closer. He couldn't stop, couldn't lose him, not again - Yugi felt something brush against his mind and, he shuddered but, Yami kept him steady, his mouth trailing to Yugi's neck.

/_Yugi_/ Yami's voice was in his head.

Yugi should have been surprised but, Yami's lips were on his skin, his hands trailing down his back as he pressed kisses down his neck. Yugi couldn't think. His breaths were coming out in pants as Yami pulled back, his eyes dark and face flushed. The dark energy was pulsing through Yugi, filling the empty hole inside of him that had been aching in his chest for weeks. Yami's eyes were watching him with a focus that made Yugi blush.

"I'm sorry," Yugi blurted out, suddenly embarrassed.

Yami steadied himself with a breath. "Do you feel guilty?" His hands held Yugi's hips steady as he tried to wiggle off his lap. "As you did with Pegasus?"

"No," Yugi admitted. In fact, he felt better than he had in a long time – safe, whole.

"Then, your apology is unnecessary," Yami said.

He leaned forward, and Yugi let him brush his lips against his. The pressure was gentle, and butterflies filled Yugi's stomach as Yami released him, eyes following him as he got off his lap.

"I – I love Pegasus," Yugi said as he got to his feet. He didn't know if he was saying it for his benefit or for Yami's.

Yami leaned back in his chair, tilting his head. "Do you?"

"Well," Yugi said, suddenly unsure. "I mean – yes! Of course."

Yami nodded. He stood from his chair, running his fingers down Yugi's cheek once more, eyes holding him captive. "Perhaps you will allow me change your mind?"

Yugi was having trouble thinking straight with Yami looking at him with that look. "Okay," he breathed. He froze. "I mean, no!"

The older boy smiled, and it was then that Yugi decided he needed to get away from Yami Atemu as soon as possible.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

* * *

><p>Yugi forced himself to slow down.<p>

He crossed the gilded lobby of the apartment building with slow, even steps, wearing the rumpled t-shirt and shorts he'd slept in and a pair of tennis shoes he'd found by Yam's front door. The shoes fit him perfectly and after he'd slid them on, he'd realized they were his. He ignored the odd look the security guard gave him as he pushed out into the early summer morning. The sky was pink in sunrise, golden rays reaching out to brush against the buildings towering around him.

Silence greeted Yugi as he broke into a jog but after a few minutes, dizziness forced him to slow. His muscles were weak from underuse, and the effort to maintain even a fast walk felt like an Olympic effort. Yugi glanced over his shoulder, half expecting to find Yami barreling after him but, the sidewalk was empty.

It had been easier than Yugi had expected to get out of the apartment, though untangling himself from Yami as he slept without waking him had taken Yugi almost an hour. It had taken him another five minutes to convince himself to leave.

Yugi rounded a corner, letting his feet lead the way. Nothing looked familiar as he walked. He just needed to find a place to think – alone. Pegasus had told him that Yami would only confuse him, and he had been right. Yugi didn't know what he wanted or who he was supposed to trust. His brain was rotating through so many conflicting thoughts and memories that he thought his head would explode.

The kiss had made everything worse. After separating from the older boy, Yugi had spent the better part of the sitting on the couch, pretending to read his book as Yami sorted through his dueling deck. The kiss had been good, almost disturbingly good. It shouldn't be possible to feel so much chemistry with someone he could barely remember.

He turned down another block, cars lined up at a red light and a few people on bikes whizzing past as he walked. Many of the businesses were beginning to open for the day, the bitter smell of nori and hiss of boiling pots filling the air as he passed a food stand. Yugi's stomach grumbled but, his pockets were empty – no money, no food, no ID.

_Great plan_, Yugi told himself. His chest was aching again, and he rubbed the muscles there as he tried to gain his bearings. If Yami had been telling the truth, then Yugi had lived in the city, which meant that he had to know his way around.

He walked another few blocks before he recognized something. His legs were exhausted but, he forced himself to keep walking. It took him a few minutes to make it down the street and close enough to read the sign sitting in front of a cluster of familiar looking buildings – Kyoto University.

Yugi's head was buzzing as he crossed the street, legs straining to keep moving. The sun was gaining altitude, the early light filtering through the trees lining the walkway leading to an academic building up ahead. Yugi remembered this place. Turning, he tried to grab the memories but, they came in snapshots – a white haired boy sitting next to him, the weight of his backpack, shivering in a classroom with no heating. Yugi sank down onto the nearest bench as his legs began to tremble under him.

"Sis – jeez – wait! This is heavy!"

Yugi looked up to find a beige haired boy carrying a box, walking towards him. He was trailing a tall, dark haired woman in a crisp suit, her shoulders proud as she made her way down the path. As the pair neared him, the woman's eyes zeroed in on Yugi and, she came to a quick stop, causing her brother to almost plow into her back.

"What the – " the boy said, peering over the box which obscured most of his line of sight. "What are you doing, Isis? I've got like twenty minutes before I have to be at work!"

"Mutou-san," the woman, Isis, greeted him, sounding confused. She ignored her brother, stepping closer to Yugi.

"Hi," Yugi said. Her name sounded familiar, but Yugi was having trouble placing her face.

"Are you well?" Isis asked him.

Behind her, her brother set the box on the ground, stretching out his back before looking at Yugi. He did a double take, eyes wide as he looked at Yugi, and then whipped around to look at his sister.

Yugi didn't feel as dizzy now that he was sitting. "I'm okay."

"You have been missed in class," Isis said.

_That's it_! Yugi realized. She was his teacher.

"I'm sorry," Yugi said. "I'm having trouble remembering some things."

"You're - Yugi Mutou?" her brother said. Thick lashes framed his eyes as he stared down at Yugi, his high cheekbones and sculpted brows giving him the look of a model from another country, maybe from somewhere in the Middle East.

Yugi nodded. He didn't recognize anything about the boy. "Sorry, have we met before?"

"No," the boy said. "My name is Malik Ishtar." He bowed, still watching Yugi as if he half expected to be some sort of illusion. "The phar – Yami has told me a lot about you."

Yugi frowned. Out of all the people in the city, he had to run into people who knew Yami. He needed to go – now. He wobbled as he got to his feet, the world tilting sideways. Malik grabbed his arm to steady him.

"You remain unwell," Isis said, frowning.

"No, really. I'm fine!" Yugi said. He tried to step away from Malik but, his strength was fading fast. It had only taken ten blocks to run him back into the ground.

"I'll help you take you home," Malik said.

"No!" Yugi choked out. "Please, you can't."

"Yami is probably worried," Malik said. He helped Yugi sit back down on the bench, and Yugi was glad to have a solid surface back beneath him.

"Please," Yugi said, desperate. He couldn't go back. If he went back, then he'd have to deal with…everything. He just needed a minute to breathe.

"Okay, okay," Malik said, taking a seat next to him. He gestured for Isis to join them.

The three sat in silence, Yugi trying to keep from passing out and the Ishtar siblings giving each other pointed looks. After a few seconds, Malik sighed.

"Who wants breakfast?" Mailk said. 

* * *

><p>Yami slid his arm across the cold sheets beside him.<p>

His eyes shot open. He searched the room for his hikari. Yugi was gone. Yami scrambled out of bed, banging through the apartment before confirming that it was empty. _How could you have let him disappear! _Panic rose in his throat, cutting off his oxygen. He had to calm down. He had to think.

He took a deep breath.

_Our bond,_ Yami realized. He could find Yugi with their bond. Reaching out with his mind, he found their link. It was still withered but, it wasn't blocked, meaning that Yugi hadn't found his way back to Pegasus yet. Yami was already stamping on his shoes when he heard his phone chime.

Making his way to the kitchen, he reached for his phone which he'd stashed behind the canned vegetables in case Yugi got any ideas about calling the police. He opened the text, finding a half obscured picture of Yugi across the table in Malik Ishtar's apartment, his hikari studying the food on his plate.

_he's w/ me, found him outside of isis' office school_

Yami let out a long breath. He texted Malik back.

_I'm on my way._

Malik's message chimed as Yami was opening the front door.

_just give me a bit w/ him. he's scared & maybe i can talk to him_

Yami took a breath. Malik was a hikari, and there was a good chance that he'd be able to talk some sense back into Yugi.

He ran his fingers through his hair. It had only been four days since he'd rescued Yugi, and his body and mind remained weakened from the effects of Pegasus' drugs and influence. He needed to be resting, preferably near Yami where their bond could repair itself. Further separation was only going to put strain on them both.

Yami was so tired. He felt Yugi coming back to him in bits and pieces as his memories returned and the drugs faded. Then, when Yugi had kissed him, he'd thought that they had made progress. However, it seemed that the resurgence of their connection had worried Yugi more than he'd let on. It had been so long that Yugi had retreated behind his walls, and Yami wouldn't allow his light to disappear behind the mental barriers he'd once constructed between them.

Yami went to the bedroom to change into his clothes for the day. He would sit on Malik Ishtar's stoop until his hikari was ready to return home. 

* * *

><p>Yugi devoured another onigiri.<p>

Across the table, Malik was fiddling with his phone, biting his lip. They were sitting in kitchen, the sand colored tiles and dusky maroon walls reminding Yugi of the Middle Eastern influences he'd read about in his textbooks. _Textbooks_, he remembered. He had been studying archeology under Ishtar-sama.

Malik set down his phone, spinning it on the table as he studied Yugi. The apartment had been a ten minute bus ride from the school, and it had taken the rest of Yugi's strength to make the walk up to the third floor. Yugi realized how insane it was to follow a complete stranger to his apartment, go inside, and eat his food but, for some reason he felt safe with Malik. He couldn't explain it. He just did.

"So, you are having trouble remembering some things?" Malik said. He hadn't taken his eyes off Yugi since Isis had left them on campus, lugging the box to one of the buildings to prepare for her morning lecture after telling Yugi to call her when he was feeling better.

Yugi nodded. "It's coming back to me but, it's more bits and pieces than anything else."

"Do you remember being a hikari?" Malik said, watching him.

Goosebumps raised on Yugi's arms. "Pegasus told me some things." His stomach knotted at the memory of the older man's insistence on completing their bond. Looking back on it, the idea seemed even more nauseating.

Malik tilted his head. "Like what?"

"Like," Yugi said. "I don't know, stuff."

"About you and Yami?" Malik said.

"Huh? No, about me and him," Yugi said.

"You and Pegasus?" Malik said, confused.

Yugi nodded.

"What did he tell you?" Malik said.

"That he was my yami," Yugi said. He picked at the remaining onigiri on his plate, a blush spreading across his cheeks. "And, that to complete our bond I'd have to – do stuff – with him."

"What!" Malik said, eyes wide.

Yugi backpedaled at the look of horror on Malik's face. "I didn't do it!"

Malik collapsed back in his chair, rubbing his eyes. "This is such a mess."

Yugi agreed. "How do you know about all of this anyway?"

Malik fiddled with his earring. "I'm the hikari of the Millennium Rod," he said. "You met my yami a few days ago, the guy with the crazy hair who tossed you over his shoulder – kind of wild looking."

"Mariku," Yugi said. Embarrassment burned up his neck. He'd been inconsolable when Yami and Mariku had taken him – the sadness and anger leeching every bit of sense from his head. He'd acted ridiculous, crazy even.

"He said you were in rough shape," Malik said. "But, you seem okay now."

Yugi sighed. "I'm not sure."

Malik waited for him to continue.

"I just don't know how I am supposed to feel about all of this," Yugi said. "One minute I'm with Pegasus and then Yami kidnaps me and tells me that Pegasus is the one who kidnapped me to begin with. How am I supposed to know who to believe when I can barely remember anything?"

"You should believe Yami!" Malik said. "Pegasus is a bad guy, Yugi. He tried to pull the same crap on me a year ago, and I just barely got away from him before he took me to that hell hole of his." Malik shook his head. "Pegasus took you from your home and your yami, and then he drugged you and tried to steal the power of the puzzle for himself. He's not a good person - he's dangerous."

Yugi sat back in his chair. "Yami was my yami – wasn't he?"

"He _is _your yami," Malik said. "And, right now, he's worried sick about you. The past month has been torture for him and waking up this morning and finding you gone probably gave him a heart attack. He's a strong guy, but losing you – it was really rough on him."

Shame caught in Yugi's throat, but he shook his head. "Yami kidnapped me."

"He _rescued _you," Malik said. "Come on, Yugi - can you seriously tell me that you want to go back to Pegasus?"

"Well," Yugi said, "no. I guess not." When he'd been at the castle, he'd been so content, but when he tried to look back, all he could remember was pain, buried beneath a haze of drugs designed to keep him sleepy and obedient. The memory of Pegasus touch repulsed him, turning his stomach, and he couldn't for the life of him remember why he had let the older man to kiss him. It made his skin crawl.

"Yami is the other half of your soul," Malik said. "And, you need to talk to him. He needs you as much as you need him, and he's missed you."

"What am I supposed to say to him?" Yugi said. Parts of the past were still blurry, and when it came to Yami, the looks he kept giving him was enough to scramble any sensible thought that popped into Yugi's head.

Malik shrugged. "You could start with hello." 

* * *

><p>A half an hour later, Yugi found Yami outside of Malik's building.<p>

The air was humid with the approaching afternoon. Yami was sitting on the apartment steps, leaning back on his elbows and staring up at the stretch of blue sky. He turned his head as Yugi stepped outside, meeting his eyes.

"Hi," Yugi blurted out, suddenly nervous.

"Hello," Yami said, voice calm.

"I'm sorry - for worrying you," Yugi said. He felt guilty for causing the older boy more stress, especially if what Malik had said was true. According to the other hikari, Yami had spent a month looking for him, planning to rescue him, and Yugi couldn't imagine the slap it must have been to find him so broken, unable to remember. The older boy looked as exhausted as Yugi felt.

"Come and sit," Yami said.

Yugi descended the steps and took a seat next to the older boy. Yami took his hand, closing his eyes, titling his head back in the sun. The pair was silent for a few minutes, cars rumbling past as they sat.

"I remembered some things," Yugi said.

Yami opened his eyes, turning to look at him.

"About you – and me," Yugi said.

Yami was quiet.

"I'm sorry for leaving this morning," Yugi said. "I was just really confused, and to be honest, I am still kind of confused, but I believe you – about you and me - and about Pegasus." He cleared his throat. "So, I want to stay, if that's okay"

"I never intended on letting you go, aibou," Yami said.

Yugi reached out for the niche in his mind, bushing against it. /Hi/ he said in his head, imagining the word floating down the string that connected elsewhere, a link, their link, the bond between a hikari and yami. It was a connection that he had never felt with Pegasus, no matter how hard he tried, but with Yami, it was instinct.

/Hello/ Yami's voice said in his head.

"I forgot what that was like," Yugi said. His talk with Malik had jarred more pieces loose in his mind – the puzzle, Yami, the shadows, it was all coming back to him but, he'd forgotten the sensation of Yami's aura against his. It felt good, right, natural.

"It has been some time," Yami said. "Our bond has grown weak with our separation."

"Can we fix it?" Yugi said.

"With time," Yami said, "and rest." He voice hardened. "You must rest, Yugi. I can feel the strain on your body and mind, and it is unnecessary. Your recovery will only be stifled if you continue to run yourself into the ground."

"Sorry," Yugi mumbled. He could feel the lingering pulse of Yami's terror through their bond, his concern and exhaustion. Malik was right – Yami hadn't taken their separation well. The older boy had been just as damaged as him by their time apart.

"It is time to return home," Yami said. He stood up from the steps, offering Yugi his hand. The older boy was watching him, his energy a gentle touch against Yugi's conscious bringing with it the smoke that never failed to lull Yugi back to calm and, Yugi reached out again, easing into the bond that linked them.

Their link was damaged, withered even, but it was still alive, beating to a rhythm that connected them as two parts of one soul. Yugi took Yami's hand, letting the older boy help him to his feet. The pair walked in silence, Yugi's hand tucked in Yami's as the older boy lead him home.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

* * *

><p>Yugi shielded his eyes.<p>

A crowd of reporters had gathered outside of the apartment building, flashes and questions firing as Yami gripped his free hand, pulling him forward. The group surrounded them, voices blending as they shouted for the pair's attention. A car idled at the curb as they approached, and Yami yanked open the back door, urging Yugi in first before sliding in and slamming it shut behind them, silencing the noise from outside. The windows were tinted but, the cameras continued to flash as Yami gave the driver the address.

"What was that about?" Yugi said, watching the crowd disappear as they merged into traffic.

"The media has been curious as to your whereabouts," Yami said.

"I thought you and Seto took care of that," Yugi said.

Yami had told him that he and Seto had managed to cover his disappearance by telling any inquiring media that Yugi was staying with distant family in northern Japan. It had been a shoddy cover story but had kept the reporters at bay for the past few weeks, which didn't explain the sudden onslaught of press attention. It had been a week since Yugi's return and, he hadn't seen a glimpse of a reporter since he'd been back.

"Pegasus has issued a challenge," Yami said.

"What does that mean?"

The car slowed for a red light, the crosswalk filling with pedestrians toting parasols and sunhats to shield from the late-morning sun.

"He wants to reschedule our duel," Yami said.

Yugi turned to face the older boy. "When did you find out about this?"

"He contacted the press yesterday," Yami said.

"You should have told me!" Yugi said.

"You are still recovering."

"It's been a week," Yugi said. "I'm fine."

Yami looked skeptical.

"I am!" Yugi said.

"It was only two days ago that you could barely remember the past," Yami said.

Yugi huffed. "What else haven't you told me?"

"Ryou-san and Bakura have begun to advance their bond," Yami said, looking out the window. "Ryou is eager to speak with you when you are ready."

"What!" Yugi said. "How could you not tell me that?"

It had been more than five weeks since Yugi had seen Ryou, and he felt terrible. He had promised himself that he would be there for his friend when his yami showed up and instead, Ryou had been alone to navigate through the reality of his existence as a hikari much as Yugi had.

"You did not remember him," Yami said, watching the city blur past. "It was pointless."

Yugi sighed, rubbing his eyes. The exhaustion had gotten better the past few days, his strength returning the more that he relaxed back into the life he had left behind. Yami had been adamant that they stay in the apartment until the week was up, restoring their bond as Yugi recovered the memories that started to flood him as the final dregs of Pegasus' drugs purged from his system.

"Telling me about my best friend is not pointless," Yugi said.

"It is if it hinders your recovery."

"You're being stubborn!" Yugi said, frustrated. He glared at the Yami's side, willing him to face him.

"I'll do what I must to keep you safe," Yami said.

Yugi nudged Yami's arm, frowning as the older boy turned but refused to meet his eyes. Weird. "What's the matter?"

Yami stared at the seat in front of him.

"Hey," Yugi said, concerned, "talk to me."

Yugi reached for Yami's arm, drawing back as the older boy grabbed the door handle as the car pulled off to the curb. Yami opened the door, stepping out onto the street and gestured for Yugi to follow, ending their conversation before it could even begin.

* * *

><p>Yami watched Yugi from across the room.<p>

His hikari was upset with him, and Yami knew that he was causing undue stress by refusing to speak about what was troubling him. They were in Seto and Jou's apartment, a sprawling three bedroom penthouse that looked out over the Kyoto skyline. He was supposed to be talking strategy with Seto as Yugi reunited with Jou but instead, he'd spent the past twenty minutes studying his hikari seated in the living room several feet away. The stereo was turned up enough that he couldn't hear the boys' conversation other than their brief bursts of laughter.

"Should I get a towel for when you start drooling?" Seto said.

Yami snapped back to attention, ignoring his cousin's scowl and focusing on the papers spread in front of them on the dining room table. They were planning Yami's duel against Pegasus. The challenge had guaranteed a public arena with spectators and media, meaning that any open use of magic would be off the table. Unfortunately for Yami, Pegasus had been using the Eye to cheat for years without detection.

"What is our timeline?" Yami said.

"Sooner rather than later," Seto said.

"Logistics?"

"A duel between the two of you should take precedence over other scheduled events," Seto said. "I wouldn't be surprised if Crawford already has a venue in mind."

"He wants Yugi," Yami said, glancing over at his hikari.

"A loss will reflect poorly on Kaiba Corp," Seto said.

Yami sighed. "Your advice being?"

"Don't lose," Seto said.

His cousin was shuffling the papers back into a stack when Yugi's phone rang.

"Moshi, moshi," Yugi said, getting up from the couch to stare out the windows running the length of the living room.

Yami had been reluctant to return the phone to his hikari but, depriving Yugi from contact with his grandfather and friends would only serve as an unnecessary point of contention between them. Yugi had recovered his memories, and he was recovering more and more every day. Still, every time Yami tried to convince himself Yugi was gaining strength, all he could remember was his hikari's manic pleas to be left in Pegasus' care. He had looked so broken.

Yugi turned and said something to Jou who nodded, pointing down the hall. Yugi disappeared after a second, a door clicking closed behind him.

* * *

><p>Yugi closed the door to Seto's office.<p>

"I'm sorry," Yugi said into the phone. "I couldn't hear you. Who is this?"

"Yugi," Pegasus said.

Yugi froze, ice filling his veins.

"How are you?" Pegasus said.

Yugi needed to hang up. Now.

"I miss you," Pegasus said. "Why haven't you called me?"

"You drugged me," Yugi said. "You kidnapped me!"

Pegasus tsked. "Is that what he told you?"

"It's true," Yugi said. His head was pounding.

"Do you miss me, Yugi-boy?" Pegasus said.

"I – " Yugi said, thoughts muddling. Why was he upset again? "I don't - "

"You sound confused," Pegasus said.

Yugi was trying to focus. "You keep confusing me."

"You should come visit me," Pegasus said. "I'm staying in Kyoto."

"That's not a good idea…" Yugi said.

"Don't you want to see me?" Pegasus said.

Yugi's hands were shaking. "I am hanging up."

"Don't go," Pegasus said. "I want to talk."

"I can't," Yugi said.

"Come see me," Pegasus said. "I miss you."

Yugi's clamped his eyes closed as the headache ratcheted in intensity. He needed to hang up.

"I have to go," Yugi said.

"Yugi - " Pegasus started.

Yugi dropped his phone. It hit the rug with a muffled thunk before he fumbled for it, ending the call with shaky fingers. Pegasus was in Kyoto. He was going to duel Yami and try to take Yugi back to the castle and worse of all, just hearing his voice had been enough to make Yugi question everything he'd recovered in the past few days. Pegasus was a bad guy. Yami and Malik had both told him that, so why was he going through this again? Why couldn't he get over this?

A knock sounded on the door, and Yami poked his head in. "Lunch is ready," he said, eyes searching the room as if a monster was lurking behind the bookcase. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," Yugi said, hoping the lie sounded more convincing than it had to him. He didn't even know why he _was_ lying. He shoved his phone back in his pocket.

Yami narrowed his eyes.

"Grandpa couldn't hear me over the music," Yugi said. The lie just kept coming. "He was worried because I didn't call him this morning."

Yami kept watching him.

"Yo! Get a move on – I'm starvin' over here!" Jou's voice came from down the hall.

Yami held the door open for Yugi, his gaze burning through him as they rejoined their hosts for lunch.

* * *

><p>Yami knew Yugi was keeping something from him.<p>

He and Yugi had returned home an hour ago, the sun dangling low in the sky as late afternoon approached. Yugi was sitting on the couch, a book in his hands although in the past ten minutes, he'd yet to turn the page.

"Yugi," Yami said, drawing his hikari's attention.

Wide amethyst eyes flitted to his.

"Are you feeling alright?" Yami said.

"Um yeah," Yugi said, pale faced. "Why?"

Yami frowned. "You haven't advanced pages in several minutes."

"Oh," Yugi said, glancing down at the book. "I got distracted."

"You look pale," Yami said.

"My head kind of hurts," Yugi said, shrugging.

Yami got up from his chair, crossing the room and pressing a hand to his hikari's forehead. He wasn't feverish as he had been the first few days of his withdrawal from Pegasus' drugs but, something was wrong. Yami could sense it.

"I'm fine," Yugi said. "It's just a headache."

"Are you having trouble remembering things again?" Yami said, taking a seat next to his hikari.

"No," Yugi said. "_I'm fine_, really."

Yami wasn't convinced.

"You're not looking at me," Yami said.

Yugi glanced up, meeting his eyes. "I'm telling you - I'm fine."

"You've said," Yami said.

Yugi snapped his book shut. "I just wish you would talk to me," he said. "You always want me to talk about what's bothering me but, whenever something bad happens to you, you never want to talk about it."

"We're not talking about me," Yami said.

"Well, I want to," Yugi said. "Tell me what's bothering you."

"I fear that Pegasus may still hold power over you," Yami said.

Yugi's face went paler. "What do you mean?"

"The influence of Millennium Items remain unpredictable," Yami said. "Pegasus used the Eye on you for more than a month. It would be foolish to assume that such an exposure would have no long term effects."

"Like what?"

"I'm unsure," Yami said, watching his hikari closely. "Have you noticed anything?"

"No," Yugi said.

His hikari was a horrible liar.

"Yugi," Yami said.

"What?"

"Tell me."

"No," Yugi said.

"No?"

"No, I won't tell you," Yugi said, standing up from the couch. "You don't trust me to tell me what's really bothering you so, why should I trust you?"

Yami stood, reaching for his hikari. Annoyance flashed through him as Yugi avoided him, walking to the windows, arms crossed. His frustration flared as his hikari sidestepped him as he followed.

"You're being foolish," Yami said.

"You're being stubborn," Yugi countered..

"I will not argue with you about this," Yami said.

"Fine!" Yugi said. "Then we also won't argue about the fact that I am going back to school tomorrow. I already cleared it with Ishtar-sama."

"That is not happening," Yami said.

"I'm an adult," Yugi said. "I make my own decisions."

"Your _decision_ is irrational," Yami said.

"That's my choice," Yugi said. "And right now, I am _deciding _that I want to go. In fact, I want to go now. I am not staying in here forever." He turned on his heel, walking to the front door.

Yami followed, grabbing his hikari's arm and stopping his progress. Yugi whipped around, indignant. "Let go of me."

"You are not leaving this apartment," Yami said.

"You told me I wasn't a prisoner," Yugi said. "Are you going back on that now?"

Dread slammed into Yami, panic robbing him of every sound thought in his head. If Yugi left, he would be vulnerable to Pegasus. They already had reason to believe he was in Kyoto, and he was probably waiting for the opportune moment to recover his lost captive. Yami would not lose his hikari again. He couldn't.

"You're not leaving," Yami said.

"Let go!" Yugi said, attempting to yank free.

His hikari was so angry with him. It was etched into every line of his body, demanding an answer. Yami had to convince him to listen - say something, anything – the truth.

"I thought that I lost you!" Yami said.

Yugi stilled, turning to look at him. "What?"

"When Pegasus took you, I thought I had lost you," Yami said. "When I found you in the castle afraid of me, calling out for Pegasus – " He took a breath. "It was the worst moment of my life. I can't do it again, Yugi – I won't. If that means keeping you locked in here, then I will. I will do anything to keep you safe, and Pegasus is still looking for you. He isn't finished and he won't be until he's dead."

Yugi was watching him with wide eyes.

"I cannot handle losing you," Yami said. "Not again."

The pair was silent and, Yami loosened his grip on his hikari's arm.

"Malik was right," Yugi said, shaking his head. "This is such a mess." He sighed, rubbing his hand down his face. "He called me," he continued, "Pegasus – it was him on the phone at Seto's, not grandpa."

And, there it was.

Yugi swallowed. "You were right. I got confused when I heard his voice."

"And now?" Yami said, watching him.

"Nothing," Yugi said. "My head just hurts."

"Your mind is trying to reconcile what it knows and what Pegasus has told it to think," Yami said.

"So, what do we do?" Yugi said.

"We will end him," Yami said. "At the duel - together."

"How?" Yugi said, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "You said it's going to be on TV. How can I help you when all of Japan is going to be watching our every move?"

"We are both going to duel him," Yami said, "by merging our souls as one."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Happy New Year!This story is drawing to a close, but luckily a ginormous Starbucks cookie and a cup of green tea have sprouted an idea for my next Yami/Yugi story.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

><p>Yugi wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans.<p>

He was in Malik's apartment, sitting next to Yami on the couch as they listened to the hikari of the Rod explain the basics of moving his soul to Yami's body. In the corner, Mariku was slumped against the wall, the sharp lines of his face neutral as he watched them, glancing at Malik every minute or so, clearing up any questions Yugi had about the other yamis being as protective as his.

"What if it doesn't work?" Yugi said.

"It will," Yami said.

Yugi turned to Malik. "And you're really sure this is safe?"

Malik shrugged. "You could share one body for the rest of your lives if you needed. It's the nature of a hikari-yami bond."

Yugi didn't like this plan at all. What if something went wrong? He'd seen Ryuji on the train, his body alive but his mind dead as Pegasus held his soul. What if that happened to one of them? What if his soul got lost on its way to Yami's body?

Yami touched his leg. His aura brushed against Yugi's conscious, energy filling him, and Yugi's shoulders loosened as the fog forced him to slacken his grip on his anxiety. The duel with Pegasus was tomorrow and, Yugi's stomach had been turning for the past week.

/Everything will be alright/ Yami said through their link.

It had been a week and a half since their spat in the apartment and, their bond had flourished since, their link restored to full strength as they prepared to face Pegasus. It had been more than a year since Yugi had last played Duel Monsters but, as soon as the cards were back in his hands, he remembered everything that his grandfather had taught him. He could do this.

"Are you ready?" Malik said.

Yugi took a deep breath. "Let's do it."

* * *

><p>Yami emptied his mind.<p>

His hikari was gripping his hands, his energy light as it touched Yami's. Close by, Malik was saying something about relaxing into their bond and, Yami concentrated on the spot in his mind that Yugi shared with him. It had been several months since he had been in a soul room with his hikari, and he could feel Yugi's nerves about returning. The last time they'd been in the puzzle hadn't been under the best circumstances.

Yami grabbed the link between the two of them, Yugi's conscious pressing against his own. They often lingered in this place before they fell asleep at night, their minds bleary with unconsciousness and blending instinctively as they drifted. Yami lost notice of his body as his thoughts carried him away, soaking in his hikari's presence.

It took a few minutes before he settled. He opened his eyes, revealing the ceiling of his soul room.

He sat up from the floor. The darkness of the room had dissipated since his last visit. Torches lined the walls, flickering with a flame that banished the shadows to the corners where the light couldn't reach. It seemed that the exposure to his hikari had, had more of an impact on his soul than Yami had realized. Standing, he brushed off his clothes, intent on finding Yugi.

He found the door to the hallway connecting their souls in a matter of seconds and when as he stepped out; his hikari was already opening the door across the way.

"This is so weird," Yugi said, grimacing and leaving Yami to follow him as he turned back inside.

Yami couldn't help but agree. He had known about his magic from adolescence but, the idea of a soul being able to separate from a body and occupy a room inside an ancient puzzle boggled even his mind at times. He sank down on the bed in his hikari's soul room, watching Yugi pace the floor in front of him.

Yugi's room was almost an exact replica of his bedroom at his grandfather's house, cramped with artifacts of his childhood and the same furniture that still sat in his room in Domino. The modernity was a stark contrast to the ancient tomb that comprised Yami's space across the hall. After a few moments of Yugi's pacing, Yami laid back against the mattress, listening to his footsteps. His hikari was worried enough for the both of them.

"Hey!" Yugi said. His footsteps paused before coming closer. The mattress shifted and Yugi stared down at him, knees sinking into the comforter beside Yami's chest. "Are you seriously not worried about this?"

Yami watched him. The last time they had both been in Yugi's soul room had been months ago. They had been separated for several days – their longest time apart since the inception of their bond – and Yami had lost his head as he kissed him, desperate to reclaim his hikaris' presence.

"I was recalling the last time we were here," Yami said.

Yugi's cheeks darkened.

Yami sat up, forcing Yugi onto his back as he hovered over him, wide eyes watching him. It had felt like forever since he'd last touched his hikari.

"Yami – "

He silenced Yugi with a kiss, closing his eyes as the younger boy's hands settled around him, his fingers kneading into Yami's lower back. His hikari pressed deeper into the muscle, thumbs feathering the sides of his spine. He sighed as a knot loosened under Yugi's ministrations. The contact was a welcome distraction. It seemed like the previous few days had been nothing but talk of Pegasus and Duel Monsters.

Yami jerked as his hikari's fingers trailed around his front, playing precariously close to his slacks.

"Yugi," Yami said, trying to steady himself. His hikari had always expressed reluctance in moving past a certain point in their physical relationship. It was a boundary that Yami had always respected, and he wouldn't push him.

Yugi peered up at him, his face flushed.

"We should stop before this progresses," Yami said.

His hikari smirked, the smallest lift of his lips. "Maybe we shouldn't." Yami jerked as Yugi's fingers continued their course down the curve of his pelvis, brushing over…

"Yugi," the older boy warned. He tangled his fingers in the comforter near his hikari's head as Yugi watched him with wide eyes as if transfixed by watching the older boy's control dwindling to a thread.

"I don't want to wait anymore," Yugi said.

"This decision seems rash," Yami said, stilling his hikari's hand by taking hold of his wrist. He wouldn't let Yugi make this choice only to regret it later.

"I love you," Yugi said. "And I've thought about it, a lot, way before Pegasus kidnapped me, and I'm ready."

Yami searched his hikari's eyes. "You are certain?"

Yugi smiled, leaning up and capturing Yami's lips, siphoning the lingering objections as his hikari pressed up against him.

* * *

><p>When Yugi woke up, he was looking at his own body.<p>

He looked down at the form he was currently occupying, finding skinny wrists and long legs. He was in Yami's body. He'd officially reached the most surreal moment of his life. Beside him, his own body remained slumped on Malik's couch, eyes closed and breath steady as if lingering in a deep sleep.

"Yami or Yugi?" Malik said.

Yugi turned, finding the hikari of the Rod standing next to him.

"Yugi," Yugi said, his voice coming out in the low timber of Yami's voice. "This is really weird. How long have we been gone?"

"A few seconds at the most," Malik said. "The limitations of time inside of a Millennium Item have always been temperamental." He paused. "Are you able to stand?"

Yugi got up off the couch, lumbering to his feet. "Woah - I'm tall!"

"Still look like a shrimp to me," Mariku said.

Malik shot his yami a look before turning back. "Do you want to try switching with Yami – see how it works?"

Yugi reached out for Yami, jerking as he realized the older boy's aura was in the forefront of his mind, intermingled with his own. He focused on drawing it closer, and a tingle started in his toes as his vision doubled. Then, he wasn't in control anymore.

He could still see what was going on but, it was like watching the outside world through a camera lens, a spectator not a participant. Terror thrummed through him. It was like he'd been paralyzed, forced to watch life continue on in front of him as his limbs were frozen, his mind locked in Yami's head.

"Pharaoh?" Malik said.

"Malik," Yami greeted.

"You've switched successfully?"

"So it seems," Yami said. "Give me a moment."

/Yugi?/ Yami said asked through their link.

/I'm here/ Yugi said. /I don't like this - at all./

/Our minds are very close now. I can feel your anxiety much more clearly than before/ Yami told him.

/I'm freaking out/

/Focus on your soul room/ Yami said. /You will feel more grounded there/

Yugi tried to settle the anxiety pounding through his thoughts. He focused on his soul room, picturing the room in his mind before feeling a slight tug, his vision dimming. He panicked. _Open your eyes! _

He startled awake. He was lying on the bed in his soul room in exactly the same position where he'd woken both times before. Looking down at his body, he found the same short legs and chubby fingers that he'd been born with. He shook out his arms, relieved to feel the muscle moving, body back under his control.

He flopped back against the pillows. This magic stuff was way more complicated than he thought. Staring at the ceiling, he heard a whisper of voices. He sat up, trying to find where it was coming from but, it sounded like it was everywhere. He focused on the sound and, it increased in volume. It was Malik and Yami. He could still hear their conversation.

"He is fine," Yami said. "He is adjusting to the sensation."

"Be wary during your duel with Pegasus," Malik said. "It won't take him long to realize that you have merged with Yugi, and he will likely retaliate with shadow magic."

"I am aware of the risk."

"Perhaps, I should speak to Yugi then."

There was another tug on Yugi's mind.

/Are you ready to switch again, aibou?/

/Okay/

Yugi's vision doubled once more, clearing as he blinked and found himself back in Malik's living room, standing straight and back in Yami's frame. Freaky.

"This is the strangest day of my life," Yugi said, vertigo edging his vision as he adjusted to the shift.

"We need to talk," Malik said.

"About what?"

"Pegasus," Malik said, "and the risks of this duel."

Yugi frowned. Yami had already explained to him the consequences of losing the battle. If they lost, Pegasus would banish Yami's soul to the shadow realm and reclaim Yugi as his prisoner. Losing wasn't an option.

"Pegasus will be using the full force of his magic," Malik continued. "Isis and I know some of the abilities of the Millennium Items but, shadow magic can be tricky."

"So, what are you saying?"

Malik's face was grave. "Be careful," he said. "Hikaris were born of the light. We are not capable of withstanding the shadows for extended periods of time."

"He can't use the shadows," Yugi said. "The duel is in a public arena."

"Just be prepared," Malik said. "You know that better than anyone how Pegasus can be."

Yugi swallowed the knot in his throat, nodding. "You guys are going to watch well, me, while we're doing this, right?" He nodded to his unconscious body, slumped on Malik's sofa.

"Of course," Malik said.

His body would be safe with Mariku and Malik and after Pegasus had been defeated, he could return to his body and he Yami could go back to how things were before.

"I'm going to talk to Yami for a sec," Yugi said, sinking back on the sofa. It was easier to find his way to his soul room the second time, and a moment later he opened his eyes, back on his bed.

He crossed the hallway between his and Yami's rooms, drawing open Yami's door and stepping inside. The shadows that had once snapped at his heels were contained by torches running the length of the entryway. The light was a welcome addition considering the cold, damp blackness that had filled Yami's room during Yugi's first visit.

"Yami?" he called, voice echoing off the ceilings that vaulted above him.

Footsteps trailed down the steps of a nearby stairwell and Yami exited a few feet away. He crossed the distance in a few strides, grabbing Yugi and yanking him into his chest. Tucking the younger boy under his chin, his arms locked around him.

"Though are minds are together, it feels as if we are separated," Yami said. "I don't care for the feeling."

Yugi curled his fingers into the older boy's shirt.

"You will return to your body as soon as Pegasus is defeated," Yami said.

"I'm all for that," Yugi said. He pressed his cheek against Yami's chest. "Did you hear Malik say that we were only unconscious for a few seconds?"

"Time in the puzzle does not replicate reality."

Yugi pulled back to look into the older boy's face. "We had _sex_ and fell asleep! How canhours pass in the span of a second?"

A smirk pulled on Yami's lips.

"I cannot _believe_ we did it in the puzzle," Yugi groaned, burying his face in Yami's shirt. "Does that even really count?"

Yami forced him far enough back to meet his eyes. "Do not worry yourself, aibou. I intend to partake in you regularly when you have returned to your body. Count will soon lose meaning."

Heat flared in Yugi's cheeks. "That's not exactly what I meant."

"But first, we must defeat Pegasus," Yami continued. "When he has been defeated, then we can truly discuss legalizing our partnership."

Yugi stilled. "What?"

"Pegasus first," Yami said, tightening his arms around him. "Only then will we be free to move forward."


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

* * *

><p>Yugi froze.<p>

It had been almost a month since he'd last seen Pegasus and, his heart stuttered in his chest as he caught a glimpse of the older man around the corner of the dueling platform. Pegasus was laughing at something, waving to the crowd with the air of a sultan blowing kisses to that of his constituents. It was no secret that the public loved Pegasus Crawford. The arena was packed tight and, the noise from the crowd grew louder and louder as the minutes ticked by.

/How do you feel?/ Yami asked him through their link.

/Not confused like I was on the phone/ Yugi said. He didn't mention the terror that surged through him seeing Pegasus for the first time since being trapped in his castle.

/Then it seems Malik's hypothesis may prove correct/ Yami said.

The hikari of the Rod had speculated that with Yami's soul so close to the surface of Yugi's mind, Pegasus' influence would be diminished. Yugi only hoped his head would remain clear once they were dueling. It was a risk to duel Pegasus together considering Yugi's past with him but, it was the only chance that he and Yami had to compete with the mind reading abilities granted to him by the Millennium Eye. They had a plan. They just had to stick to it.

"Well if it isn't Yami Atemu," Pegasus voice singsonged a few feet away.

Yugi whipped around, his heart pounding in his chest. For their plan to work, they had to convince Pegasus that it was only Yami dueling. It was impossible to know what the older man would do if he discovered the truth. Yugi shoved his shaking hands in his pockets.

"Pegasus," Yugi said, trying for nonchalant as he fixed the older man with a stare. He fought the shiver that threatened to roll down his back as Pegasus met his gaze. Yugi tipped up his chin, forcing his shoulders back.

"Where is your hikari?" Pegasus said, glancing up at the crowd as if he might be able to spot Yugi in the hundreds crowded in the stands. "I would have thought he'd be here," he said, turning back to watch Yugi, "cheering you on."

Yugi felt the tug on his consciousness and folded as Yami took control. The effort to keep himself from freaking out in Pegasus presence had been more of a drain than he'd realized. Panic surged through him as he settled in the background of Yami's mind. He tried to relax, brushing against Yami's conscious and feeling the instant relief as the older boy's energy touched his.

"The farther he is from you, the safer he will be," Yami said.

"Hmmm," Pegasus said. "I'm sure Yugi and I will be reacquainted sooner rather than later." A grin stretched across his face and, he waved to a group of girls in the crowd who screeched as they spotted him. His eyes stayed on the stands. "I wonder Yami-boy, did your hikari tell you how easy it was to convince him that he was in love with me?"

"You can coerce anyone to believe anything when you drug them with enough sedatives," Yami said.

Pegasus turned to face him, eyebrows raised. "But he seemed so eager when I kissed him."

If Yugi had his body, he would have cringed. He hadn't exactly told Yami about how touchy-feely Pegasus had gotten in the castle or the older man's last condition to "complete their bond". With their minds so close, Yugi could feel Yami's anger drawing tight, a whip just waiting to crack.

/You've been keeping secrets, aibou/

Yugi kept quiet, trying to focus his energy to Yami down their bond. Yami's rage held strong, and for the first time, Yugi realized he wasn't the only one who was going to have to fight to keep his head during the duel.

* * *

><p>Yami laid down a trap card.<p>

The crowd murmured as the card materialized on the field facedown. Pegasus frowned. After three turns of switching back and forth, the older man's forehead was creased in agitation as Yugi took control again, his mind blank of the card Yami had placed on the field.

Across the way, Pegasus switched his monsters to defense mode, and Yami focused elsewhere as Yugi drew his next card. The only way their strategy could work was if they remained oblivious to the others most recent draw. It wasn't foolproof but, it was better than allowing Pegasus' Eye to cheat them out of every advantage.

Yugi ended his turn, and Yami regained control. His hikari's aura seemed strained as he waited for Pegasus' next move.

/Are you alright?/ Yami asked.

/I'm okay/ Yugi said.

Yami frowned, unconvinced.

Pegasus laid down a facedown card, his gaze centered on Yami – eyes calculating. Only a few more turns, and this would all be over.

* * *

><p>Yugi was struggling<p>

Every thought moved like a slug through his head, hands shaky as he reached for the deck. He blinked as the arena seemed to crisscross in front of him, taking a deep breath as he drew his card, studying it for a moment before adding it to his hand.

The effort to maintain his composure was getting more and more difficult every turn, as if lead blocks were being piled on his shoulders, limbs aching as he struggled to stay standing. The exhaustion had been ratcheting in intensity for the last few turns, and even breathing had started to become a struggle. It felt like the air had become thicker, colder, settling in his lungs like water.

Yugi could have sighed in relief as Yami took control, and Yugi retreated deep into the older boy's head.

The instant he was back in Yami's mind, the strain disappeared, and Yugi soaked in Yami's aura, trying to calm down. Neither Malik nor Yami had mentioned this kind of strain, and Yugi wondered if Yami was feeling the same. But if he brought it up to the older boy, Yami would refuse to let him take control again and, they couldn't afford to lose the advantage they had by switching.

_Just a few more turns_, Yugi reminded himself. _You just have to make it a few more turns._

* * *

><p>Yami narrowed his eyes.<p>

Across the field, Pegasus was smiling at him. The older man was down to 700 life points, giving Yami and Yugi a 500 point lead so, why was he smiling? Yami laid down a monster in defense, retreating as Yugi took over. His hikari's mind flickered as he took control.

Yugi slumped forward as he took over Yami's body. He took a shaky breath, supporting his weight on the dueling platform, taking a moment to right himself.

Fear was cold spike in Yami's mind. /What's wrong?/

/I'm fine/ Yugi said.

/Your mind feels weakened/ Yami continued. /Switch back with me/

/No, I'm just having some…/ Yugi said, trailing off.

/Yugi!/

His hikari's voice was breathless. / - some trouble - breathing/

/I'm not asking you, Yugi/ Yami said. /Switch with me now/

/Not yet…my turn isn't over/

Pegasus ended his turn, his smile full force as Yugi drew his next card. Yami looked away, waiting as his hikari placed a card face down on the field. Yami was furious. He had told Yugi over and over again before the duel that he shouldn't push himself in Pegasus presence. Yami tugged hard on his hikari's mind, urging him to switch places with him. Once Yugi was back in his mind, he would be safe, and Yami would spend the next month telling him how foolish…

Yami slammed back into his body.

He blinked, the lights bright in his eyes as he tried to steady himself. His heart was pounding. He reached for his hikari's presence. There was nothing. Panic pounded through him. He couldn't breathe. He clutched the cards in his hand, his vision doubling as he slumped forward. Catching himself on the edge of the podium, he struggled to force air down his lungs. Yugi was gone. His hikari was gone. His entire body clenched, his spine stiff as he forced himself to straighten.

Across the field, Pegasus' smile was stretched wide.

He had Yugi's soul.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **This chapter is shorter than normal but, the next chapter will be up tomorrow – just needs a few more edits.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

* * *

><p>Yugi was too hot.<p>

He kicked off the comforter, turning over as he tried to fall back asleep. He rubbed his face against the pillowcase as he resettled, the material silky against his cheek. He froze. They didn't have silk sheets. Yugi flew up and out of the bed, half blind as his eyes adjusted to the light. He searched the room. The walls curved around him and a window offered a view of the sea sparking in the distance, sunlight slanting across the floor. The bed's canopy ruffled in the breeze. He was back in Pegasus' castle.

"You're awake."

Yugi whipped around, his stomach sinking. This couldn't be happening. Not again.

Pegasus was sitting across the room, his cheek propped up on his fist as he watched him. Yugi did a double take. Pegasus' Millennium Eye was gone, leaving him with a set of two plain brown eyes - the glint of the Eye nowhere to be seen. He was wearing suspenders and a button down rolled up at the sleeves, his hair tied back from his face. The result was bizarre - a subdued, younger looking Pegasus.

"What's going on?" Yugi said.

"Cyndia got you," Pegasus said, shrugging a shoulder as if commenting on the weather. "It happens to the best of us."

"What are you talking about?"

"My wife," Pegasus said. He straightened, sitting back in his chair. "She's become a bit of a handful lately."

"Your wife is dead," Yugi said.

Pegasus gave him a small smile. "Not in spirit, I'm afraid."

"How did we get all the way to the castle?" Yugi said. His heart was pounding. The man looked like Pegasus but, he certainly didn't act like him. Something strange was going on. Yugi needed to get back to Yami. Last thing he remembered it had been his turn in the duel and then, everything had gone black. Now, he couldn't feel Yami at all. Panic quickened his pulse without the older boy's energy against his.

"Ah, no – this isn't the castle," Pegasus said, glancing around. "It is quite a good replica though."

"So, where are we then?"

"Cyndia's prison, of course."

"But, that's impossible!" Yugi said. "My body was safe. It couldn't have been moved here unless something happened to – "

"Her _soul_ prison," Pegasus corrected. "I'm sure your body is still quite safe."

"He…she couldn't have used magic – we were in public!"

Pegasus frowned. "Cyndia has always been skilled with her shadow magic. As a hikari, you may have been able to withstand it longer than most but, it wouldn't have taken long for her to pry away your soul without detection."

"But, I don't – " Yugi said, stopping. He was so confused. "Why are _you_ here?" The realization hit him as soon as the question left his lips. "You're the hikari."

Pegasus nodded.

"So, you're - the real Pegasus?"

The older man smiled, a gentle grin that seemed a far cry from the manic emotions that always seemed to cross his face in reality. "The one and only."

"Which means your wife is – "

"My yami."

Yugi took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "So, you've been trapped in this place for how long?"

Pegasus shrugged. "Time is always altered by magic. It's difficult to make an accurate prediction."

Yugi frowned. Pegasus' wife had died years ago, surely he hadn't been trapped in this place for all of that time? "So, how do we get out?"

"We don't," Pegasus said, his smile fading. "The power of the Eye keeps us here."

"I have to go back!"

Pegasus frowned. "Only Cyndia can control the souls she keeps."

"You have to be able to do something!" Yugi said. "You're a hikari. You're the other half of her soul!"

"Nothing I do or say can free her," Pegasus said. "The darkness has robbed her of everything she once was."

"So, we just sit here and do nothing?"

Pegasus's silence was his answer.

* * *

><p>Yami gripped his cards.<p>

He could feel the paper folding under his fingers but, his hand only tightened as Pegasus met his eyes. It had been three turns since Yugi's disappearance and ever since, the older man had been making a comeback. Yami's life points had been reduced to a measly 170, and every bit of strategy in his head seemed to have disappeared the minute Yugi had.

The older man ended his turn and, Yami drew. He swallowed his frustration as he studied the card. It was a trap card but without Yugi, Pegasus would know exactly what it was as soon as Yami played it. Yami played a monster in defense, ending his turn. He glanced down at the last card Yugi had played on the field, a facedown card that could be anything.

Yami could feel the shadows snapping under his skin, demanding retribution. He took a breath, trying to settle himself. There would be no way to help Yugi if he lost control.

Across the field, Pegasus drew once more, his smile widening.

Yami wouldn't lose this duel. He couldn't.

* * *

><p>Yugi stormed down the stairs.<p>

Turning down a familiar hall, his stomach churned. It may not have been real but, being in even a replica of Pegasus castle was enough to make him feel nauseous. Behind him, Pegasus footsteps trailed behind him, his long stride enough to keep up with Yugi's jog. They kept in silence as they reached the castle entry way, and Pegasus paused as Yugi moved to the doors. He had to get out of here. He had to help Yami, let him know that he was okay.

Yugi wrapped his fingers around the door handle, yanking hard. His shoulders strained as he pulled, but the wood didn't budge. His fingers were slick with sweat after a few minutes, and he flexed his hands. He couldn't give up. He had to get the door open. It was his only chance.

"There's no use," Pegasus said.

"I have to get out of here," Yugi said.

"This prison is inescapable," Pegasus said. "You shouldn't waste your energy."

"I can't just give up," Yugi said, turning from the door. The hair on his arms rose as he met Pegasus' eyes. He knew that the man in front of him wasn't the same person who he knew but, he couldn't help the anxiety that flooded him every time he caught a glimpse of the older man.

"You are not the first to try to escape," Pegasus said. "Everyone before you has failed."

Yugi turned back to the door. "I'm not leaving Yami alone again," he said, wrapping his fingers around the handle. He couldn't give up, not when he knew that Yami was out there somewhere freaking out, trying to beat Pegasus in an impossible duel. Yugi was a hikari, and Yami needed him as much as Yugi needed him. Yugi yanked on the handle again, arms straining. He was a hikari...

"Wait," Yugi said, the realization hitting him. He released the handle, turning to Pegasus. "We can do this together."

"What?"

"You're a hikari too!" Yugi said. "Together, we'll be stronger – maybe strong enough to break out of here."

Pegasus shook his head. "My role as a hikari has long passed."

"That can't be true," Yugi said. "We can do this, Pegasus. You are the only one who will be able to stop Cyndia without destroying her and trust me, right now, she's out of control. You have to stop her."

Pegasus just looked at him.

"I need your help, Pegasus, please," Yugi said, desperation creeping into his voice. "Cyndia won't stop until she has all the Millennium Items. She needs you before she ends up destroying everything. She wants my Millennium Puzzle, and she'll do anything to get it, including shredding my yami's soul. She needs to be stopped."

"You wish to kill her," Pegasus said, voice quiet.

Yugi paused. "We have to stop her."

"She is angry with me."

"What?"

"Her anger has not faded, no matter the time that has passed," Pegasus said, his face drawn. "She was ill, and I couldn't keep her from dying. With all of the money in the world, enough to build a castle - it wasn't enough to save her."

"You can save her now," Yugi said. "If you help me, we can save her."

Pegasus met his eyes, his shoulders slumped. The older man was silent for a moment, and the two hikaris watched each other, the line drawn between them. Yugi could barely force the breath through his lungs as Pegasus moved, sealing both of their fates.

* * *

><p>Yami was hanging on by a thread.<p>

His life points had been reduced to 80, and his defenses were depleting as quick as his deck. He looked down at the dwindling pile in front of him. He couldn't have more than ten cards to go, and once his deck was gone, so would he. He drew his next card, a magic card that wouldn't do him much good at the moment.

He ended his turn, feeling the shadows burn through his veins without his hikari's presence to temper them. Forcing himself to stay upright, he watched Pegasus draw his next card, smirking as he threw down a magic card to boost his monster's attack by another 500 points. The monster was an ugly beast with a thousand eyes and an unlimited potential for attack points. It had been unbeatable since he'd summoned it, consuming all of Yami's monsters as soon as he'd been playing them

Yami forced himself to focus. He could still win. He couldn't give up, not when Yugi needed him. Across the field, Pegasus winked, and Yami bit back his rage as he drew his next card. He stared at the monster – the Dark Magician, his signature card finally revealed after being buried at the bottom of his deck. Pegasus' monster had nearly double the attack points, but every part of Yami urged him to play the card. He laid down the magician, watching the hologram synthesize.

The Dark Magician appeared in front of him in defense and at that moment, Pegasus collapsed to his knees.

* * *

><p>Yugi blinked awake.<p>

He turned his head to the side, finding Malik curled up in an arm chair, his legs hanging over one arm and his head propped on the other as he read. The hikari of the Rod turned the page, eyes flitting as he continued to read. Dizziness buzzed in Yugi's head, and he closed his eyes as he tried to steady himself.

"Are you going to do anything other than read that trash all day?" Mariku said, his voice coming from farther in the apartment.

"That depends," Malik said, flipping the page.

"On what?"

"On whether you keep interrupting me."

Mariku's footsteps echoed from the kitchen, and Yugi opened his eyes to watch the older boy looking down at his hikari. Malik lowered his book, and Mariku leaned down, slanting his mouth over his hikari's. Yugi squeaked, a blush burning on his cheeks as he clamped his eyes shut. Mariku was normally so standoffish that it felt like a breach of privacy just to hear him talking, let along kissing Malik.

"Yugi!" Malik said.

Yugi peered at his friend. "I am feeling a little dizzy. Can you help get me to Yami?"

Malik crossed the room, squatting beside the couch. "Can you sit up? What happened?"

"It's a long story but, I need to get to him, Malik, please," Yugi said.

"Okay, okay," Malik said. "Mariku, come help me."

The pair propped Yugi up on the couch, and he blinked as vertigo blurred his vision. "I have to hurry," Yugi said. "The duel could be almost over by now. I don't know how long I was gone for."

"You have to focus, Yugi," Malik said. "You won't be able to make it by car to the arena in time so, you're going to have to try to connect with Yami from here."

Yugi forced himself to breathe. "Okay," he said. "Can you help me?"

Malik smiled. "Of course."

* * *

><p>Yami watched Pegasus get to his feet.<p>

The older man wobbled at his podium, mouth slack as he surveyed the arena as though seeing it for the first time. He looked down at the cards in his hand then up at Yami. His eyebrows knitted together and, he surveyed the field before glancing back at his hand.

"Sorry," Pegasus said, "is it my turn?" The arena exploded with laughter, and Pegasus smiled, rubbing the back of his neck as if in on the joke. However, his eyes were desperate as they turned on Yami, and Yami frowned, giving him a curt nod.

The older man drew, laying down nothing before ending his turn. His field was empty other than the monstrosity that had been devouring Yami's monsters for the past six turns.

Yami moved to draw, freezing as he felt his hikari's mind slam back in his head.

/Yami!/ Yugi said. /Are you there?/

The relief was blinding, stealing the strength from Yami's body. He forced himself to stay steady, soaking in his hikari's presence. /Yugi/ he breathed. His hikari was safe. The realization rocked him, his hands shaking as he clenched the cards in his hand.

/Pegasus is trying to fight his yami/ Yugi said, his voice frantic. /It's a long story but, I don't know how long he can keep in control of her/

/Her?/

/His wife/ Yugi said /She's been in control ever since she died. You have to end this duel as quickly as you can/

/His monster has proven difficult to defeat/ Yami said.

/I left Mind Control on the field for you!/ Yugi said.

Yami felt the smile pulling on the corner of his lips. He drew his next card, switching Dark Magician to attack mode and activating the card his hikari had left on the field.

The answer had been right there in front of him.

/You can't kill her/ Yugi said. /I promised him you wouldn't/

The Dark Magician attacked, the green light of his magic fading as Pegasus' life points drained to zero. The older man gave him a small smile, closing the fan of cards in his hand before bowing. The arena exploded in cheers.

/She cannot be allowed to live/ Yami said.

/Pegasus is going to try to fix it/ Yugi said. /He needs our help. He's innocent in all of this, just like Ryuji was/

Frustration built inside of Yami. He had been trying rid himself of Pegasus for years now. The older man had taken Yugi from him. He'd threatened his bond with his hikari and stolen the souls of innocents. How could Yami let him just walk away?

/We can help him/ Yugi said. /It's the right thing to do. We just have to give him a chance to make things right/

Yami watched the older man across from him, feeling his opportunity slip through his fingers. His hikari's aura was warm against his, a light in all of the darkness that urged him to end the soul that had caused so much pain. But, Yugi was asking this of him. Yami had made the mistake before of allowing his fear of losing his hikari to cloud his judgment with Ryuji. He'd allowed his protectiveness to drive a wedge between them, and he couldn't let it happen again.

Pegasus caught his gaze across the field, his eyes wide – innocent even. Yami sighed. He pressed the button to lower his platform, letting the older man disappear from his sight.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Brace yourself for the epilogue, my friends. It's time to put this story to bed.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: **We've reached the end of _The Pharaoh's Hikari_! It's kind of a bittersweet moment, considering I've been writing this story for the past two and half months but ultimately a satisfying one. This story was born from _Light in the Dark, _which was born while listening to Tove Lo's, _Habits _on repeat for a number of days. I remember listening to it at the time and trying to imagine this love that was just so tremendous that without it, without that person, it would be impossible to survive without numbing yourself (being high, drunk, ultimately making destructive decisions). It was with this thought process that this story was born, and in retrospect, I am very satisfied with how it turned out.

Thank you for all of your reviews and support throughout this journey! 

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty<strong>

* * *

><p>Yugi rubbed his neck.<p>

He had been sitting in the same position for the past two hours, his entire body stiff as he studied for his next exam. Beside him, Ryou had his chin propped on his palm, his eyes slightly glazed as he stared at the book in front of him. Yugi sympathized with his friend. It hadn't seemed like that long ago that he had been dealing with the same exhaustion the first few weeks after he'd met Yami and been adamant about keeping his distance from the older boy. The separation, physical and mental, had been a major drain on Yugi's energy, and it hadn't gotten better until he'd honestly begun to accept the bond connecting them.

The day after the duel with Pegasus, Yugi had talked to his friend and discovered that in the weeks prior, Bakura had told Ryou that he was his hikari. Ryou hadn't been angry at Yugi for keeping the secret from him but, he had demanded that he tell him everything he knew about being a hikari. Ryou's relationship with Bakura was a roller coaster at best, and after knowing his yami for three months, Yugi wasn't sure if the pair had made any major gains in solidifying their bond.

"I don't understand this at all," Ryou said. "Was King Anbul's tomb discovered in 1913 or 1915 because one book says 13 and the other says 15?"

Yugi looked up, and found his friend staring across the table at Malik. The hikari of the Rod fiddled with his earring. It turned out that after serving as a tomb keeper for the first fifteen years of his life and knowing practically every bit of Egyptian history, Malik made a pretty good study companion for their ancient Egypt course. Plus, having more than three years' experience with his yami, he seemed to know everything there was to know about being a hikari and had become the go-to source for Yugi and Ryou when trying to figure out what was going on in their yami's heads.

"It was 1913," Malik said. He spun his pen between his fingers. "But, if I'm remembering right – I think there was some sort of antechamber in the same tomb discovered later in 1915."

Ryou thanked him, scrawling the information in his notes and returning to his book.

Malik went back to his own homework. He was the youngest of the three of them, just shy of nineteen, but he'd been taking part-time university courses at the community college for the past year, having never received any formal education in the tombs. Over the past few weeks, Yugi and Ryou had folded him into their frequent study sessions and, it seemed like they rarely went more than a day without seeing each other anymore.

After another hour passed, Yugi's phone buzzed in his backpack. He dragged himself away from his notes, checking the message from Yami.

_I'm waiting outside._

"Crap!" Yugi said. He shoved his phone in his pocket, gathering his things and stuffing them in his backpack. "I'm having dinner at Yami's parents' house and, he's waiting for me outside to go. I completely lost track of time."

"Don't worry," Malik said, waving him off as Yugi moved to clear his empty tea cup. "We'll see you later."

Yugi said his goodbyes, pounding down the steps and out onto the street in a matter of minutes. As he stepped outside, he found Yami leaning against the stoop. The air was cooling with the early whispers of fall and, the sun had dipped low in the sky, the beginnings of sunset blooming.

"Hey," Yugi said. He grabbed the older boy's hand, rounding to face him. "Sorry, we were studying so hard that I lost track of time."

Yami shrugged, leaning down to kiss him. When they separated, Yugi's stomach was fluttering. It had almost been a year since he'd first met Yami, and he wondered how it was possible to still be so affected by him. Yami tugged him towards the car that idled at the curb.

The older boy gave the driver his parent's address as they settled inside.

"Wait, we aren't going home first?" Yugi said.

Yami looked at him as the driver paused, waiting for further instruction.

"I'm wearing jeans and a t-shirt," Yugi said. He pointed to the collared shirt and slacks the older boy was wearing. "I look like a slob next you!"

Yami shrugged. "You look fine."

Yugi frowned. "It will seem disrespectful."

"My mother doesn't care what you are wearing," Yami said. He nodded to the driver, and he pulled away from the curb, joining traffic.

"Your father does!"

Yami shrugged again.

Yugi flicked him. "Stop doing that."

"Doing what?"

"Shrugging!"

Yami smiled at him, a slow lift of his lips that widened into a full grin.

"What are you smiling about?" Yugi said.

Yami shook his head. The older boy took his hand, and Yugi settled back against the seat, his eyelids heavy as the buildings blurred past. 

* * *

><p>Yugi accepted a plate from Akemi.<p>

The table was full of dishes, the smell of cumin and coriander circulating the room as they passed the food between them. When their plates were full, they started on the meal. Yugi complimented Akemi on the food after the first bite. In the few times they'd eaten with Yami's parents, Yugi was still in surprised that the flavors of whatever Middle Eastern dish Akemi served could be so distinct from the Japanese fare he'd been raised on.

"How is work going, Yami?" Akemi asked, her bracelets clinking as she took a sip of wine. "Your father has been telling me that Seto is acquiring a new company?"

"Industrial Illusions has expressed interest in aligning with Kaiba Corp," Yami said. He met Yugi's eyes. "It seems that their CEO has had a recent change in heart in how he wishes to do business."

"That's wonderful," Akemi said.

Yami nodded. "It seems so."

"Seto would do well to get Industrial Illusions under his control as quickly as possible," Kenta said. Yami's father put down his fork. "That Crawford has always seemed two faced to me."

Yugi coughed as he choked down a bite of food.

"His personality does seem rather split at times," Yami said.

Gulping down some of his water, Yugi hid his smile behind his glass.

"And you must be busy with school, Yugi?" Akemi said.

Yugi nodded.

"I hope you aren't having too much difficulty," Akemi said, her forehead wrinkling. "I know Yami said you had to take a few weeks off for a family emergency."

"It's been difficult," Yugi said, "but my friends have been helping me a lot and, Ishtar-sama has been giving me extra work to make up the time I missed." He and Yami had decided to keep the whole ordeal with Pegasus under wraps from anyone but those directly involved, and the official story was that Yugi had missed school while caring for an ill relative.

The conversation continued, and surprisingly, Yami's father had remained relatively civil throughout the meal. Yugi marked it a success, albeit a small one. After eight months, at least Kenta didn't openly despise him anymore. He and Yami cleared the dishes, leaving his parents to tea in the living room. No matter how much Yugi tried, the idea of taking another sip of tea for the rest of his life made his skin crawl.

"Do you think the deal will really happen?" Yugi said, taking a dish to dry from Yami. After the duel with Pegasus, they had discussed at length how to best monitor the older man in order for Cyndia to be allowed to live. With the help of the other yamis, they'd convinced Pegasus to move from the castle to the mainland, moving the Industrial Illusions headquarters to Juto, a small city an hour outside of Kyoto. It hadn't been a hard sell considering Pegasus' prison for the past ten years had looked remarkably similar to the castle still sitting on Illusion Island.

As part of the condition, Pegasus was required to make visits to the Kaiba Corp headquarters every week so that Yami could judge his mental clarity. Not showing up meant a one way ticket to the shadow realm for Cyndia, and talking and interacting with the other hikaris was prohibited. It was a strict but, it was better than nothing. It had been almost two months since the duel, and so far, Pegasus had seemed to have made some kind of reconciliation with his wife though from what Yami had told him, Yugi wasn't sure if Pegasus would ever let Cyndia take control of his body again.

"The probability of a merger is high," Yami said. "Pegasus is tired of running a company. I suspect it had been his wife who was the interested party in the business for the past few years."

Yugi nodded. They continued to wash and dry, settling into silence as they worked through the stack of dishes. As they finished, Yugi hung his dish towel to dry, waiting for Yami to empty the sink. The older boy grabbed his arm as the water drained, tugging Yugi into his chest as he leaned back against the counter.

Sinking into his hold, Yugi felt Yami's arms close around him, keeping him close.

"You are tired," Yami said.

"I'm always tired," Yugi said. "I have to keep track of you."

Yami tightened his arms for a second, and Yugi smiled.

"Being here always reminds me of when we first moved here," Yugi said. "I remember being so nervous about everything but, things have changed so much in such a short amount of time."

"There will be more challenges ahead," Yami said. "Pegasus' defeat will not be the last of the darkness that seeks us out."

"I know," Yugi said, curling his fingers into Yami's shirt. "But, we can handle it – especially with everyone's help."

"I wish you did not insist on pushing me, Bakura, and Mariku together," Yami said.

"It's good for you!" Yugi said. "You seem less stressed out when you spend time with them."

"Aibou – "

"You know it's true! You do all your dark, shadowy things together and, it's good for you."

"Dark, shadowy things?"

"Trust me, I don't even want to know what you guys are doing when Malik, Ryou, and I aren't with you. As far as I am concerned – I'll just think of it as dark, shadowy things and leave it at that."

Yami shook his head.

They stood there for another few minutes, Yami's fingers warm as they traced circles on Yugi's back. When he felt drowsiness dragging down his eyelids, Yugi pulled away. Yami frowned but, allowed Yugi to take his hand. He led the older boy to the kitchen door, intent on rejoining Yami's parents before they started to wonder what was taking so long.

His and Yami's relationship wasn't perfect. It would never be perfect. The bond that connected them would live with them for the rest of their lives, and they might spend the next eighty years fighting collectors and soul stealers from trying to break them apart. They would forever have to fight the balance of light and dark that they shared between them but, it was worth it. Every moment of stress, pain, sadness – Yami was worth it.

Yugi's life had changed the moment that Yami had walked into it, and looking back he couldn't imagine how he had survived so long without him. It was a strange life, a strange love, but being with Yami, talking to him, touching him – it was all Yugi would ever need.

With one hand on the kitchen door, Yugi paused, turning to face Yami.

"I'm glad we moved here," Yugi said.

Yami watched him, crimson eyes settling on Yugi's. He smiled, a slight lift of his lips as he squeezed Yugi's hand. The future was bound to be rocky, darkness and shadows a constant threat on their bond but, as the hikari of the pharaoh, Yugi knew everything would turn out alright. 

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **You've reached the end of _The_ _Pharaoh's Hikari_!

**I will be posting a new Yami/Yugi story, separate from this storyline and universe, and the first chapter will be posted on Sunday, January 18**. I will also be wrapping up _The_ _Thief's Hikari _soon so that eventually, I can move on to telling the story of Malik and Mariku's meeting (set in this universe).

Thanks again for all your support!


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